

' 





























Class __ 15^^ 

A 

Book_ /'r ■■ i> 


Copyright N?.__ 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 















































SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

A. S. MACBRIDE, J.P. 



THE M. S. A. NATIONAL MASONIC LIBRARY 


The M. S. A. National Masonic Library presents, in 
a series of volumes of uniform binding and competent crafts¬ 
manship, the best results of Masonic research by masters 
of the Craft in America and abroad. The Library will cover 
every aspect of Freemasonry, its ritual, its symbolism, its 
philosophy, its past history and present activities and de¬ 
velopment. Representing all recognized schools of Masonic 
thought, it will bring the best literature of the Craft within 
reach of lodges and members. 


Symbolical Masonry 

by H. L. Haywood 
The Great Teachings of Masonry 
by H. L. Haywood 

The Beginnings of Freemasonry in America 
by Melvin M. Johnson 
Speculative Masonry 

by A. S. MacBride 
The Builders 

by Joseph Fort Newton 
The Men's House 

by Joseph Fort Newton 
The Philosophy of Masonry 
by Roscoe Pound 
Symbolism of the Three Degrees 
by Oliver Day Street 


Washington, D. C.: THE MASONIC SERVICE 
ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES 


SPECULATIVE 

MASONRY 

Its Mission , Its Evolution and 
Its Landmarks 

BEING A SERIES OF LECTURES DELIVERED AT THE 
LODGE OF INSTRUCTION IN CONNECTION WITH 
LODGE PROGRESS, GLASGOW, NO. 873 

BY 

A. S. MACBRIDEj J.P. 

n > J 

P. Def. Pr. G. M. Dumbarton; P. M. of Leven St. 
John , No, 170 , and Progress , Glasgow , No. 873 


WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 

JOSEPH FORT NEWTON, Litt.D. 

Grand Lodge of Iowa 



NEW 



YORK 


GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY 


WS>V\5 

,nib 


COPYRIGHT, 1924, 

BY THE MASONIC SERVICE 
ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES 






SPECULATIVE MASONRY 
— B — 

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 


JON -6 ^4 


©CIA ? 93568 


THE BRETHREN 
OF HIS MOTHER-LODGE 

LEVEN ST. JOHN, NO. 170; 

WHOSE LOVING TRUST STIMULATED 
HIS EARLY EFFORTS IN MASONIC WORK!' 

And To 

THE BRETHREN OF LODGE 

PROGRESS, GLASGOW, NO. 873; 

WHOSE WARM SYMPATHY ENCOURAGED 
AND WHOSE GENEROUS SUPPORT CONSUMMATED 
THE PRODUCTION OF THIS STONE FOR THE TEMPLE 

THE AUTHOR 

WITH FRATERNAL AFFECTION AND RESPECT 
DEDICATES THIS VOLUME 


t 


INTRODUCTION 

By Joseph Fort Newton, Litt.D. 

Masonry had many great teachers in the last generation, 
men of the first order of intellect who devoted their fine 
powers to a critical study of the history of the Craft, and 
the exposition of its simple, wise and beautiful truth. 
Gould, Pike, Mackay, Hughan, Crawley, Speth, Fort, 
Parvin, it is an honour to recall the names of such men, 
into whose labours we have entered, and whose legacy is 
a rich inheritance. Noble men, great Masons, tireless 
scholars—our debt to them is beyond calculation. But 
reverence for the men of other days should not make 
But reverence for the men of other days should not make 
us forget our leaders to-day, who are doing so much to 
interpret Masonry and make it effective for its high 
and noble purposes. 

Among the teachers of Masonry in our own time, no 
one was more worthy of the honour of his Brethren of 
every land and rank than the late Brother A. S. Mac- 
Bride, of Lodge Progress, Glasgow, whose death was 
a bereavement to the Craft. For twenty-five years, or 
more, he was a teacher of Masonry in Scotland, instruct¬ 
ing young men in the symbolism and ceremonial of the 
Craft, and he left a permanent impress upon the Masonry 
of his native land. Though not a great scholar, he was 
a man of rich learning—more practical than academic— 
but his artist-eye, his sense of the fitness of things, to¬ 
gether with his spiritual insight and sound common sense, 
made him an ideal leader. Whether in public printed 
vii 


viii 


INTRODUCTION 


lecture, or in the more private teaching of the Lodge 
—examples of which he left us in the form of rituals of 
the first three Degrees—his work had the same sagacity, 
the same sanity, the same fine touch of the poet-vision, 
which marked his as a truly wise teacher. 

Such a volume as the following pages, which grew out 
of a series of lectures delivered in Lodge Progress, is a 
rich legacy to the Fraternity which its author served with 
fruitful devotion; and it is one of the best Masonic books 
of our generation. For one thing, its style is the native 
speech of Masonry—simple, lucid, aglow with moral 
passion and poetic beauty. Nay, more; it is a book of 
real vision, in which Masonry is shown to be a wise, 
clear-seeing, practical Moral Idealism, touched with spir¬ 
itual meanings and taught in symbols, parables, emblems, 
and dramas; at once an interpretation of life and a way 
of living. Indeed, it is one of the classics of the Craft, 
its great value being that it grew out of the actual teach¬ 
ing of Masonry in the Lodge; and some of us had hoped 
that it might be the forerunner of other books of like 
spirit and quality. The brief sketch of the Masonic 
career of the author here given—such a sketch as his 
too great modesty would permit—is both interesting 
and valuable; but it conveys but a slight impression of a 
man of unmistakable distinction O'f character, of singular 
personal and intellectual charm, brotherly, brilliant, win¬ 
ning; a gracious gentleman, to have known whom is to 
have something to remember of the finest tradition of his 
country and his race—a Mason to whom the world was 
a Temple, a poet to whom the world was a Song. 

“Brother A. S. MacBride was initiated in Lodge Leven 
St. John on the 13th July, 1866. On November the 19th, 
of the same year, he was elected Secretary; and on 
November 22nd, 1867, he was elected Master. The 
Lodge Leven St. John was constituted on April 9th, 1788, 


INTRODUCTION 


ix 


by several members of the craft residing in and about the 
towns of Leven in Dumbartonshire. As stated in the 
Charter, it was granted ‘for holding a Lodge in the said 
towns of Leven/ That is, it was a movable Charter, and 
the old minute books which are preserved in fairly good 
order and which go back to the 6th November, 1788, show 
that meetings were held in various places from the river 
Fruin on Loch Lomond side, to the bridge over the river 
Leven at Dumbarton. These old minutes seem to indicate 
the existence of an unchartered Lodge, previous to the 
existing Charter from the Grand Lodge in Edinburgh. 

“It has been a practice from 1788 at least, as shown by 
the Minutes of the Lodge, to appoint instructors to' every 
newly initiated member; and Brother MaoBride in this 
respect had the good fortune to have as his instructors 
two of the very oldest Masons in the Lodge. It is to the 
instruction he then received that he attributes the en¬ 
thusiastic interest with which he has for fifty years 
studied the history and symbolism of Masonry. It was 
at one time the universal custom in all Scottish Lodges 
to appoint these instructors (or ‘intenders ’ as they were 
called) to newly entered brethren, and it is to be re¬ 
gretted that this good old custom has been abandoned 
generally. It is still, however, faithfully observed in 
Lodge Leven St. John. 

“In the second year of his accession to the chair, Brother 
MacBride introduced his system of lectures and instruc¬ 
tion. He began, first of all, with the office-bearers, and 
in a year or two with the members of the Lodge. After 
seven years he retired from the chair, but still maintained 
a close connection with the Lodge. In 1879, with some 
reluctance and only at the unanimous and strong desire 
of the members, he once more accepted the position of 
Master. He continued in office until 1884, and as Past 
Master continued taking an active interest in the Lodge 


X 


INTRODUCTION 


affairs. He was recalled again to the chair in 1887, and 
was in harness until 1896. 

“During this period of nearly thirty years the Lodge 
established a reputation for a high standard of ‘work/ 
discipline and enterprise, and its members became cele¬ 
brated for their knowledge of Masonry. The Lodges in 
Scotland generally, at that time, met in licensed premises; 
and Leven St. John met in the Black Bull Inn, in the 
village of Renton. The higher ideals of the craft, how¬ 
ever, began to dominate the minds of the members, and 
the incongruity of having solemn and sacred ceremonies 
in a hall devoted to the worship of Bacchus determined 
them in 1891 to have a building of their own. Although 
a country Lodge, whose membership was small in number 
and practically composed of workmen, yet such was its 
vital energy and enthusiasm that, despite many difficul¬ 
ties, a commodious Lodge Room was erected. In a few 
years the Lodge building was not only completed free 
from debt, but a new building fund was formed of up¬ 
wards of three-hundred pounds for extensions. These 
extensions have now been completed and the building 
stands a monument to the enthusiasm and loyal devotion 
of the members, for, with the exception of three brethren 
belonging to other Lodges who unsolicited sent donations, 
all the expense amounting to about three thousand pounds 
has been defrayed by them. The Lodge Room presents 
some unique features in its pillars, winding stair of three, 
five and seven steps, and its middle chamber. 

“Sixteen years ago Brother MacBride removed to Glas¬ 
gow and there threw in his lot with Lodge ‘Progress/ 
which had been established two years previous. This 
Lodge is founded on temperance principles, a part of its 
constitution being, ‘No intoxicating or spirituous liquors 
shall be permitted at any meeting or communication of 
the Lodge, or held under the auspices of the Lodge.' 


INTRODUCTION 


xi 


This was in Brother MacBride’s opinion a movement that 
deserved the encouragement of every well wisher of the 
craft. Personally, he was not a total abstainer, but the 
drinking customs in connection with many lodges had 
become such a serious evil that some counterweight was 
greatly needed, and he therefore joined Lodge Progress. 
His long experience gave him an early opportunity of be¬ 
ing of service to that Lodge; its members, while full of 
enthusiasm, being practically inexperienced in the work of 
Masonry. 

“In November, 1900, he was elected Master, and during 
that year he applied himself to the training of office¬ 
bearers in a knowledge of their duties and of the “work” 
in connection with the various degrees. In the succeeding 
year, and for fully ten years as a Past Master, he applied 
himself to the work of instruction. Enthusiastic instruc¬ 
tive Lodge meetings were carried on for three or four 
months every winter. At these meetings lectures were 
delivered by him which have been revised and printed in 
a work entitled Speculative Masonry. Besides this, vari¬ 
ous symbols and ceremonies were explained in detail and 
the students attending were also given an opportunity of 
‘working.' The result has been this: Lodge Progress 
stands out, not only as the strongest Lodge in Scotland, 
but also as representing the highest ideal in its method 
of ‘working.’ It is no boast, but a plain fact that these 
two Lodges, Leven St. John and Lodge Progress, are 
models in the manner in which they ‘work’ the cere¬ 
monies of the various degrees, and in the knowledge pos¬ 
sessed by their members of the symbolism and principles 
of Masonry. 

“When residing in the province of Dumbarton Brother 
MacBride took an interest in the proceedings of the Pro¬ 
vincial Grand Lodge of Dumbarton. He was Secretary 
for a number of years and filled the offices successively 


xii 


INTRODUCTION 


of Provincial Grand Junior Warden, Provincial Grand 
Senior Warden, and Deputy Provincial Grand Master. 
On removing to Glasgow he was asked to allow himself 
to be nominated for office in the Provincial Grand Lodge 
of Glasgow but refused, considering that his energies 
could be directed to better purpose in the Lodge of In¬ 
struction connected with Lodge Progress. He, however, 
gave his services as a member of Provincial Grand Com¬ 
mittee for a number of years. 

“Brother MacBride has been a member of the ‘Quatuor 
Coronati Lodge/ London, since May, 1893, and has found 
the transactions of that Lodge of immense value to him 
in the course of his Masonic studies. He has always been 
an advocate for reform in Lodge 'working/ and his criti¬ 
cisms of the coarse, vulgar methods adopted in some 
lodges brought on him occasionally the condemnation of 
his brethren, who, not having studied tTie symbolism of 
the craft, had very little conception of its real beauty and 
significance. These controversies, however, are all now 
things of the past, and he has been able to overcome, or 
modify, the views adverse to his mode of 'working/ and 
to gain generally the respect and esteem of those who at 
one time were his opponents. 

''Everywhere in the west of Scotland there has been of 
late years a marked improvement in the 'work’ of 
Masonry. The atmosphere of the lodges has been puri¬ 
fied and elevated to a very considerable extent, and a 
larger and closer knowledge of its symbolism has been 
diffused amongst its members; and Brother MacBride 
rejoices at having been able in some degree to have con¬ 
tributed to this beneficial result/’ 

The work of Brother MacBride in behalf of Masonry 
may be divided into three parts, as things Masonic are so 
often divided:—First, his genius as an expositor of the 
history, philosophy and symbolism of the Craft, for proof 


INTRODUCTION 


xiii 


of which one need not go further than the lectures in 
this volume, which might well have been entitled Practical 
Masonry. At least it is a very practical interpretation of 
Speculative Masonry, and that is more than ever our need. 
Second, his mastery of the Ritual, and his insight and 
skill in making it not only luminous, but more perfect as 
a medium through which the spirit and truth of Masonry 
may be conveyed to the initiate. Of this aspect of his 
work one may not write in detail, except to say that the 
Ritual prepared by him for Lodge Progress is an ad¬ 
mirable example of what a Masonic ritual should be, alike 
in its dignity and beauty of form, no less than in its 
depth and suggestiveness of meaning. It is an unalloyed 
delight to eye and ear and heart—Masonry wearing a 
robe woven by a poet-hand, and worthy of its spirit and 
truth. 

Third, the manner in which he used the Ritual, not only 
to evoke the Spirit of Masonry and to promote its fellow¬ 
ship, but to teach the truth it was meant to teach. 
He was a teacher of teachers—following the teachers 
who taught him—using the Ritual, keeping close to the 
Ritual, and through it leading his pupils to the wider 
questions which grow out of it and are suggested by it. 
Herein his method was sound, both Masonically and peda- 
gogically, and it is a hint to put those who would teach 
Masonry on the right track. Always his first care was 
to train the Officers of the Lodge, making them leaders 
and teachers of the Craft, as they should be. For exam¬ 
ple, the following “Hints to Masters,” which serve as a 
preface to the Ritual of Lodge Progress, may show some¬ 
thing of his method and spirit: 

1. —The Master should not be Craftsman, labourer, and every¬ 

thing. He should superintend and direct the work. 

2. —Have a meeting of the Officers, as soon after the election as 

possible, to arrange your work, and encourage them to 

study and enter upon their duties with an enthusiastic spirit. 


INTRODUCTION 


xiv 

3—Get each Officer to learn the duties of the Officer immedi¬ 
ately above him, so that he may, when required, be able to 
perform them. 

4. —Always remember it is the Master’s work to plan, and to 

draw out the plan of work. Treat your Officers confiden¬ 
tially and show them your plan, and then you may rightly 
expect them to work to it. 

5. —Give every encouragement to any one who wishes to work, 

and get your Officers to do the same; but bear in mind that 
your own members have the first claim on your assistance 
and encouragement. 

6. —Do not parade your authority, but prove yourself worthy of 

the power placed in your hands, by using it as seldom as 
possible. 

7. —Remember that the best Master is he who best serves the 

Craft. 

No wonder such a method, used in a true Masonic 
spirit of mutual good will, and made effective by a fine 
practical capacity, attested its worth and wisdom in rich 
results. It was the rare pleasure of a lifetime to visit 
Lodge Progress—which, in 1917, conferred upon me 
the honour of Honorary Membership—to meet its mem¬ 
bers, and to join with them in paying homage to one 
of the wisest Masonic teachers of our generation, whose 
work had won, and will win increasingly, the lasting grati¬ 
tude of the Craft. The genius of Masonry had wrought 
itself into his very nature, and when I saw him there was 
in him a ripe, mellow, old-gold beauty of character such 
as Carlyle felt in Chalmers, “as of the on-coming evening 
and the star-crowned night.” To-day, among things for 
which to be thankful, I am grateful that I was permitted 
to know him, sit in Lodge with him, and tell him in the 
presence of his Brethren how much his fellow-workers 
on both sides of the sea honoured his life and valued his 
labour in behalf of our gentle Craft. 


J. F. N. 


PREFACE 


This book is a revision and condensation of several lec¬ 
tures delivered to the Lodge of Instruction, in connection 
with Lodge Progress, Glasgow. At the urgent request 
of a large number of the members of the Craft these 
are now published, mainly through the labours of a Pub¬ 
lication Committee, appointed by that Lodge. 

The author takes this opportunity to acknowledge his 
indebtedness to the members of that Committee, for the 
pains they have so freely taken in the publication. He 
has, also, to thank those brethren who assisted him in 
putting his rough notes into proper form; and cannot, 
without appearing ungrateful, avoid mentioning the 
names of Br. Alexander Bruce, D.P.G.M. for the Prov¬ 
ince of Glasgow, and Br. William S. Galbraith, P.M. of 
Lodge Progress—the former for his very kind criticisms 
and corrections of the text, and the latter for his most 
careful revisions of the typography, etc. 

Many pressing duties and demands left the author little 
time and energy to do justice to his subjects. His studies 
have been limited to his leisure hours, and the composing 
of these lectures has merely formed a pleasant relaxa¬ 
tion from the strain of a busy business life. He is, 
therefore, painfully conscious that there must be many 
imperfections in his work; but if, notwithstanding these, 
this volume should prove helpful to the members of the 
Ancient Craft, he will be greatly gratified and amply 
rewarded. 

Glasgow, December, 1913. 






) 


t 


% 


' 



CONTENTS 


PART I: THE MISSION OF SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I: The Mission Generally Considered 

1 . The Meaning of the Words “Mission” and “Masonry” 19 

2 . The Quest of the Ideal . . . . . .21 

3 . The Variation of the Ideal . 23 

4 . The Masonic Ideal . 25 

5 . The Nattire of the Mission . 26 

6 . Is Masonry To-day True to Its Mission? . . 31 

II: The Law of the Square 

1. The Lazv of the Square in Nature . . ., 36 

2 . The Lazv of the Square in Material Building . . 40 

3 . The Lazv of the Square in Moral Building 41 

4 . The Lazv of the Square in the Point Within the 

Circle . ~ ..45 

5 . The Lazv of the Square in the Cross . . , 55 

6. Summary of the Lazv of the Square . . r . 67 

III: The Quarries, or the Selection of the 
Material 

1 . The Material Suitable ..... r „ 69 

2 . The Quarries Available ., 72 

3 . The Process of Selection . ,75 

IV: The Lodge, or the Preparation of the 
Material 

1 . The Nature of Its Work ... . ,. 83 

2 . Its Relation to Religion . ,.84 

3 . Its Relation to the Outer World . . . . 85 

4 . Its Ideal Plan . . 86 

5 . Its Course of Instruction .r 91 

6. Its Chief End . . ., . .. * „ 98 

xvii 









xviii CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

V: The Temple, or the Consummation of the 
Mission 

1. Retrospect and Prospect . . . . .101 

2. The Temple of King Solomon .104 

3. The Ideal Temple 114 


PART II: THE EVOLUTION OF SPECULATIVE 
MASONRY 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I: Origins Ascribed to Masonry 

1. The Historical Difficulties .133 

2. Some of the Theories Advanced .134 

3. Its Evolution Most Likely Along the Lines of Opera¬ 

tive Building . . . . . . . .138 

II: Ancient Symbolism and Mysteries 

1. Antiquity of Masonic Symbolism , . . .140 

2. The Ancient Mysteries .142 

III: The Roman Collegia and Medieval Guilds 

1. The Roman Collegia .144 

2. Identity of the Collegia with the Guilds in England . 146 

3. Identity of the Collegia with the Guilds in France . 149 


IV: The French Companionage 

1. The Three Organisations and Their Traditions .. .. 152 

2. Interesting Customs and Rules .154 

3. The “Wolves” of the Sons of Solomon and the Ma¬ 

sonic “Lewis” . . . . . .156 

4. Similarities of the Companionage and Freemasonry . 157 

V: The German Stein-Metzen 

1. The Name and Origin of the Organisation . > 161 

2. The Culdees .162 

3. The German Guilds and Stein-Metzen . . .166 

VI: The Old British Lodges 

1 . The Old Charges .171 

2. The Speculative Element in the Old Lodges . . 175 

3. Degrees in the Old Lodges .180 


CONTENTS 


xix 

CHAPTER PAGE 

VII: Summary 

1. Characteristic Points Common to the Organisations 

Considered .183 

2. Conclusion . . ..189 


PART III: THE LANDMARKS OF SPECULATIVE 
MASONRY 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I: The Nature and Divisions of the Landmarks 

1. What Landmarks Are .195 

2. The Divisions of the Landmarks .... 200 

3. First Division , Section A.—A Secret Mode of Recog¬ 

nition by Its Members . . . ... . .202 

4. First Division , Section B. — The Tyling of the Lodge 205 
5.. First Division , Section C.—The Qualifications of Can¬ 


didates . . . .206 

6. Second Division , Section C.—The Conditions of Ad¬ 

vancement . . ..211 

7. Third Division , Section A. — The Principal Points in 

“Opening” and in “Closing” a Lodge . . . 214 

8. Third Division , Section B. — The Principal Points in 

“Entering” “Passing” and “Raising > . . . 216 


9. Fourth Division, Section B. — The Powers and Duties 

of the Master , and Officers , and of the Lodge . 220 

II: Misconceptions Regarding the Landmarks 

1. That the Landmarks Are Fixed and Unalterable . 224 

2. That the Landmarks Fix the Lodge Ceremonies 

Verbatim et Literatim .226 

3. How Misconceptions Have Been Formed . . . 229 

III: The Landmarks and Progress 

1. The Landmarks No Hindrance to Progress . . 232 

2. The Teachings of History and Nature . . . 234 

3. The Temple of Brotherhood and Peace Is the Great 

Landmark .236 





XX 


CONTENTS 


APPENDIX 

Part I: The Mission of Speculative Masonry 

The Lazv of the Square in the Cross 

The Temple of King Solomon . . . . 

The Fillers ,. ... ... ... 

Part II: The Evolution of Speculative Masonry 
The Historical Difficulties 


PAGE 

241 

241 

242 


243 


INDEX 


245 


PART I: THE MISSION OF 
SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


“It is in and through symbols that man, consciously 
or unconsciously, lives, works, and has his being: 
those ages, moreover, are accounted the noblest which 
can the best recognise symbolical worth, and prize it 
the highest.”— Carlyle. 

“Confucius was asked, ‘Is there any one maxim that 
ought to be acted upon throughout one’s whole life?’ 
He replied: ‘Surely the maxim of charity is such:— 
Do not unto others what you would not they should 
do unto you.’ ”— “Confucius,” by Lionel Giles, M.A. 

“Not all men build alike their lives, some rear their 
edifice with ease, but most with an infinite labour, after 
many failures and bitter griefs. Only he is happy who 
will not be dismayed by grief or failure, and who finds 
in human love a divine encouragement to raise stone 
upon stone till naught is wanting.”— Anon. 

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in 
vain that build it .”—Psalm cxxvii. I. 


PART I: THE MISSION OF 
SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Chapter I 

THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 

(i) The Meaning of the Words “Mission” and 
“Masonry” 

Before proceeding to consider our subject in its main 
aspects, let us endeavour to get a clear conception of what 
we mean by the words “Mission” and “Masonry.” 

“Mission” comes from the Latin word “Missio”—to 
send, to throw. It is something that is sent or thrown 
out with a definite object in view. We have the same 
root in the words “Missile” and “Missive.” In a general 
sense, however, the word now means more the aim and 
purpose of anything than the thing itself. 

“Masonry” is a word regarding which authorities 
differ. Various languages have been named as its source. 
In the different theories advanced, however, we do not 
find anything conclusive. Probably it comes from some 
unknown ancient language. It seems to be closely allied 
with the Greek “Maza,” “Massein”—to press or work to¬ 
gether, with the Latin “Massa”—a club or society, and, 
also, with the English word “Mass.” The word carries 
with it, through all the variants known to us, the idea of 
unity. To mass a body of men or troops, for instance, is 
to bring them into close touch or united action. From 


20 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


this view it appears that masonry is the building together 
of various units, such as stones, bricks, wood, iron, or 
human beings, into a compact mass or structure. The 
mason masses, or builds them together, and the work is 
masonry. 

Sometimes the word is used in a restricted sense as 
applicable only to stone-work. This is a narrowing of 
its true significance. The French “Maison” and the Eng¬ 
lish “Mansion” do not mean stone-work only—they mean 
a building. The term mason-bee, also, has nothing to do 
with stone-work. It means a bee that builds. Were the 
word confined to stone-work, a quarryman would be 
called a mason. In a similarly narrow sense it is under¬ 
stood by those who insist on the use of the words “Free- 
Mason” and “Free-Masonry,” as necessary to distinguish 
the speculative craft from the stone-mason and from 
stone-masonry. They assume that masonry means stone¬ 
work and that the word “Free” was introduced to dis¬ 
tinguish the Speculative from the Operative mason. But 
the basis for such an assumption is not apparent in any 
history of authority. The terms “Freemason” and “Free¬ 
masonry” may be used as terms of convenience, com¬ 
monly understood; but neither etymologically nor his¬ 
torically are they correct. As far back as the records of 
the Order go, both in Scotland and in England, non¬ 
operatives are found as members of the Craft and there 
does not appear to have been any distinction made be¬ 
tween them and operative members. The qualifications 
of a candidate for admission to the Order demanded that 
he should be a “Free-man” and also, that he should be 
“Accepted” by the lodge. The full and correct term is a 
“free and accepted mason.” This is the term used by the 
Grand Lodge of Scotland in its title, viz.:—“The Grand 
Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scot- 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 21 

land.” The full name may be shortened to “Freemason” 
or to “Mason” for convenience, and as you choose. 

In its essence it appears that the word “Masonry” may 
be held to mean building, or joining units together into 
an organised mass, and in this comprehensive sense we 
will here use it. It may also be rightly applied in a moral, 
as well as in a material sense. Man is a moral, as well as 
a material builder. He applies material terms to things 
spiritual, and he instinctively takes material forms as 
symbols of spiritual truths. Hence, the natural evolution 
of operative masonry is speculative masonry, and in its 
highest sense the word Masonry may be used to mean 
moral building. 

By the phrase “The Mission of Masonry” then, we 
mean the aim and purpose of Building and, when we 
apply it to Speculative Masonry, we mean the building 
morally of humanity into an organised structure, accord¬ 
ing to a design or plan. 

( 2 ) The Quest of the Ideal. 

At the threshold of every human study the problem of 
the Quest of the Ideal persistently presents itself. No¬ 
where in the world of humanity is perfection to be found, 
yet everywhere men are seeking it. Deep down in the 
human heart there is a feeling of something awanting. 
To all, there has been a paradise lost, and there is to be 
a paradise regained. Man is capable of understanding 
the plan of life but unable to work it out properly. His 
ideals are perfect, his actuals are failures. He has a 
divine soul linked to a brutal body, and his visions of 
heaven are always from a bed of earth. Yet evermore 
he wrestles with Fate and refuses to be content with the 
imperfect present. Through constant falling he steps on- 


22 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


ward. By perpetual failure he progresses. He feels that 
the true, the good, the beautiful, the perfect, must be 
somewhere in this universe, or else how does he know the 
false, the bad, the ugly, the imperfect, in the actual world 
around him. 

There is an ancient Gaelic poem called “The Poem of 
Trathal,” part of which describes a mother playing a harp 
to her children, and which translated runs thus:—“Two 
children with their fair locks rise at her knee. They bend 
their ears above the harp as she touches with white hands 
the trembling strings. She stops. They take the harp 
themselves but cannot find the sound they admired. 
'Why,’ they ask, ‘does it not answer us? Show us the 
string where dwells the song/ She bids them search for 
it until she returns. Their little fingers wander among 
the wires.” And so, with the children of men. Their 
fingers wander among the wires of the harp of life. 
They say, “Show us the string where dwells the song.” 
We search for the lost song, the lost harmony of the soul. 

In human history, from the earliest times, we have 
evidence of the Quest of the Ideal, and it has usually 
taken the form of searching for that which was lost. Isis 
searched for her murdered lord and master, Osiris, in the 
waters of the Nile. Venus cried for her slain Adonis on 
Mount Libanus. Ceres sought for the lost Prosperine in 
Eleusis. The sons of Odin searched for the body of 
Balder in Scandinavia. The Knights of the Round Table 
travelled in quest of the Holy Grail. The Alchemists 
strove to wrest from nature the lost secret of life. Thus, 
in every age and in every land, the Quest of the Ideal 
has been pursued. It has called into existence innum¬ 
erable societies, religious, political, and social, and of 
these the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons is one 
of the greatest, if not the greatest, the world has seen. 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 23 


( 3 ) The Variation of the Ideal. 

The Law of Variation prevails in the mental as well 
as in the material world. There are not two blades of 
grass alike, there are not two thoughts identical. Dis¬ 
satisfaction with the actual produces a thousand satis- 
fatory ideals. For every disease there are a hundred 
cures. God gives to all the desire for heaven, but each 
•man chooses his pathway. One fine summer day a king 
walked on a moorland road, troubled and melancholy. 
Some children were playing at a gate and on the top bar 
sat a half-clad boy, with fair locks tossing, arms waving, 
blue eyes dancing, and a voice shouting with glee. The 
king said, “You seem very happy, my boy.” “Happy! 
I’m as happy as a king,” was the reply. With a sad smile 
the king asked, “What would you do were you a king?” 
“Do,” cried the boy, “Fd hae cream parritch and cream 
tae them an’ swing on a yett a' day.” 

There are many men whose ideal of life is to have 
“cream parritch and cream to them an' swing on a yett 
a’ day.” They never get beyond the Italian’s “dolce 
far niente”—“sweet doing-nothing.” Such an ideal may 
be innocent, but it is poor and mean. It may be simple 
and natural, yet it is purely animal. It is that of a child, 
not that of a man. 

To be a millionaire, with the power that wealth gives; 
to be a lord, to whom the multitude will beck and bow; 
to be the darling hero, whom crowds will assemble to 
see and cheer, seem to many the sum of human happi¬ 
ness; but “are grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?” 
Happiness is not the product of genius, of wealth, or of 
power. It is not to be pursued and captured. If we aim 
at it, we are sure to miss it. It comes to us, we cannot 
go to it. It grows not from anything outside. It wells 
up from the inner soul like a clear spring from the breast 


24 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


of the hill. It is the offspring of love and obedience. It 
is of the spirit and not of matter. 

Observation and experience declare this so'-called solid 
world of matter to be changeful and fleeting. The ma¬ 
terial man is “a walking shadow, a poor player that struts 
and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no 
more.” The natural world is the stage, the scenery, the 
adjuncts to the drama of life—to the comedies and trage¬ 
dies, the tears and smiles, the villainies and heroisms, the 
hatreds and the loves of mankind and, when it has served 
its purpose, it will disappear. 

“The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, 

The solemn temples, the great globe itself, 

Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve 
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, 

Leave not a rack behind.” 

Yet, fleeting as it is, we are so dependent on the ma¬ 
terial world and so surrounded by it, that we are very apt 
to get absorbed by it. The prevailing struggle for mere 
existence also is apt to form and foster in the mind a 
strong desire for the material independence and comfort 
of those near and dear to us. Burns felt this when he 
said, 

“To make a happy fireside clime 
To weans and wife, 

That’s the true pathos and sublime 
Of human life.” 

This ideal is often difficult to attain and there is always 
a strong temptation to take the shortest cut, rather than 
the cleanest. To many, success changes the making of 
a happy fireside into the building of a grand one; and 
the love that initiated the effort degenerates into selfish 
ambition. After all, experience, as well as Scripture, tells 
us: he who puts the material kingdom first shall be last 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 25 

in the spiritual kingdom. Wherever the material ideal 
dominates, moral deterioration ensues. It is the moral 
ideal alone that can save us from going downwards. 
Though never realised it ever makes us better through 
the struggle to reach it. The pains and penalties that 
surround it develop our courage and resolution. Its 
beauty elevates and inspires us. The pure air of its lofty 
summit strengthens and braces us. The self-sacrifice it 
demands becomes our soul’s salvation. From it we learn 
that dignity lies in serving, not in ruling; that honour con¬ 
sists in growing better, not in getting grander; and that 
happiness comes more from well-doing than through do¬ 
ing well. The material has to be made subservient to 
the moral and the actual to the ideal; the stones of human 
life have to be shaped, squared, and built together accord¬ 
ing to the plan of the Divine Temple, if the structure is 
to be established in strength to stand firm for ever. 

( 4 ) The Masonic Ideal. 

The Quest of the Ideal we find in masonry at every 
turn. The travel from West to East, like the Earth to 
receive the life-giving Light of the Sun; the working of 
the rough Ashlar, into the form of the perfect Ashlar; 
the mystic Ladder, reaching up to the cloudy Canopy; 
the sacred Stair, leading to the mysteries of the middle 
Chamber; the lost key-stone, perfecting the secret Arch; 
the lost word, that will make a true Master; the destroyed 
Temple, that is to be restored; all symbolise the throbbing, 
yearning, seeking of the human heart for something better 
and happier than the actual world around us. But the 
grand ideal in masonry, to which all the rest are sub¬ 
sidiary and contributory, is that which represents the soul 
of man as a Holy Temple and dwelling place for The 
Most High. This ideal has, no doubt, been expressed by 


26 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


poets, prophets, and philosophers, but in masonry only 
has it been made the basis of an organisation, having a 
system of instruction, as unique in form as it is rare in 
history. 


( 5 ) The Nature of the Mission . 

Having cleared our ground somewhat, let us now en¬ 
quire as to the nature of the Mission of Masonry. 

The mission of the gunshot is death and destruction; 
of the rocket-line, life and preservation; of the Univer¬ 
sity, knowledge; of the Church, salvation; of Masonry, 
the building of the Ideal Temple. 

Masonry does not exist to combat any particular evil, 
to solve any special problem, to advance any peculiar cult, 
or to propagate any precise dogma in the outer world. 
It does not claim to possess any patent pill for the evils 
of humanity nor does it propose to build an Utopian State 
of political freedom and economic happiness. It is not 
for social fellowship, although that forms, and in many 
quarters forms too prominent, a part of it. It is not 
constituted for the exercise of benevolence only, although 
that occupies no insignificant place, both in its precepts 
and its practice. It teaches no science, yet science holds 
an important position within it. It favours no philosophic 
school, yet a profound philosophy permeates its system 
of symbolism. It instructs in no special art, yet in it all 
the arts are honoured. It has no religious creed, yet re¬ 
ligion forms its foundation and crowns its pinnacles. It 
is not the product of any age, nor the work of any nation. 
It is the evolution and growth of centuries and has re¬ 
ceived contributions from many diverse races and peoples. 
Like nature it is many sided: 

“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale 
Her infinite variety.” 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 27 

The mission of masonry being the building of the Ideal 
Temple, he is the true mason who works true to the plan 
of that Temple. He has to build himself, and thereby 
contribute to the building of humanity, as a dwelling place 
for the Divine Presence. 

How to live is a problem each of us must solve. To 
live, in its fullest sense, is not to exist like a cabbage or 
an ox. Physical life as a problem has already been solved 
for us. The Great Architect has provided everything 
needful for the healthy life of His workmen. Nothing is 
wanting. We have abundance. But, alas! its distribu¬ 
tion is in our own hands and we waste it in war and strife 
and riotous living. Hence the awful crime and suffering 
that abound. What message does masonry give us on 
this problem? It gives no economic lesson whatsoever. 
Economics and politics it refuses to deal with. It says, 
“Act on the Square with your neighbour and you will 
soon solve your economic and social problems. Want 
and misery,»crime and vice abound, because you do not 
live as moral beings—you do not live on the Square/’ 

A building will not endure if it is not built on the 
Square. A man’s life is a ruin if it is not lived on the 
Square. A community can only be prosperous and happy 
in proportion as it is governed by the Square. 

Some people spend great energy and time trying to 
solve the enigmas of sin and suffering by political laws 
and social measures. They are doubtless earnest in pur¬ 
pose and good in motive; but, if they only look at the 
physical and social environment, they do not go to the 
root of the evil. Physical and social evils are the result 
of moral evils. Yet some men think they can cure these 
by physical means, by mental gymnastics, by the beating 
of drums, and fireworks—something sensational. They 
do not realise that noise means friction and waste of 
energy. The process of evolution and development in 


28 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


nature, and of perfection in mechanics, is simplicity and 
silence. A dust-cart makes more noise than the sun and 
planets in their courses. Why eagerly expend yourself in 
talk about the why and wherefore of the wounds of 
humanity, while these are unbound? The good Samari¬ 
tan first thinks of bandages and ointment for the wounds 
and not about the kind of weapons that made them, and 
then, he thinks of the hearts that used the weapons, not 
the blind instruments. 

Masonry has no message for the government of the 
purely physical life, nor for the economic or political 
conditions of society, or of the individual. It recognises 
that the moral conditions dominate and form the key 
of the situation. That which is hurtful to moral life will, 
in the long run, be deadly to physical and social life. 
Let your moral life be right and all will be well, and 
neither the individual nor society will be well until they 
live on the Square, and work at the building of the 
Temple. 

But what is living on the Square? Neither scientific 
nor philosophic knowledge is needed to make a stone 
square: no great intellectual capacity nor scholastic lore 
is required to live a true life. Certainly, knowledge is 
power. But the thing needful for the salvation of hu¬ 
manity is not power. It is the right directing of power 
—the dedication of all knowledge, wealth, and talent to 
true and noble ends—to the higher plan and purpose of 
life—to the co-working of the soul, true and square, with 
the Great Architect of All. 

This is all plain and simple—perhaps too much so. 
The essentials in human life physically—air, earth, water 
—are common things. In value, the coffers of the Bank 
of England are not comparable with that of the passing 
sunbeam that lovingly flings itself on the good and the 
bad alike. In importance, the diamonds of the mine are 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 29 


not equal to the raindrops that fall impartially on the 
just and the unjust. So, morally, the needful thing is 
the common one. It is the heart alone that can seek and 
find the truth essential to a good life. The simplicity of 
the matter is apt to prove a stumbling block to many 
minds. It is particularly apt to be despised by those ac¬ 
customed to the intricacies of scientific and philosophic 
research and hence the ploughman has often the advan¬ 
tage of the philosopher. 

To a certain extent, we are the creatures of circum¬ 
stances, yet, in all circumstances we are conscious of 
the power to choose good and to reject evil. If we accept 
evil we know we sin. This consciousness of responsibility 
cannot be explained by any known property of matter. 

There is, therefore, something in us apart from the 
material—something capable of directing all our knowl¬ 
edge and powers in the work of life. This faculty we 
call conscience. Like every faculty it is capable of de¬ 
velopment and in proportion to its development do we 
morally progress and prosper. Masonry tells us, “Use 
your conscience constantly in the work of life, as the 
craftsman uses his square. Ask yourself every hour of 
the day: Am I working true and square ?” In every mo¬ 
ment of doubt, apply the square and your life will not 
be far wrong. The conscience is the moral square of 
humanity. If you would build your Temple you must 
work true to it. To do otherwise is absolute folly and 
waste of life. 

But, apparent confusion is everywhere around us. 
Goodness bleeds and innocence suffers, while vice and 
guilt often seem to triumph. Ah! yes, but masonry tells 
us, we are only at present looking at the scaffolding and 
the debris of the building operations and, therefore, can¬ 
not rightly see the Divine Plan of the Great Temple. The 
very fact that scaffolding exists is a proof that a Temple 


30 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


is to be. Death and suffering are the evidence that life 
and happiness exist in the plan of the Universe. The 
shadow demonstrates that light is shining somewhere. 
For the good of the whole, each particular physical life 
is of necessity narrowed and limited. If death did not 
exist, rats and rabbits would crush humanity to the wall 
and take all the good things of earth. But, on this very 
ground, the existence of mind, or soul, must be limitless 
and immortal. It expands and increases not to the pres¬ 
sure or injury of others, but to their benefit. Every fresh 
discovery and achievement by one, is a help to all. The 
ultimate perfection of the soul is the only rational solution 
of existence; and that there is a sphere for every faculty, 
is alone compatible with the idea of an ordered Universe. 
Of the embryo in the womb we might ask with Dr. 
Chalmers, “What is the use of these limbs, of these 
organs of digestion and respiration, of sight and of 
sound ?” What we call birth—the separation of the child 
from the mother—would appear to the child, if conscious, 
as death. So, not until our separation from this mother 
earth will we realise the use of all the wondrous faculties 
of our being and begin to understand clearly the Divine 
Plan that runs through all. Our possibilities are infinite. 
There is a Newton in every navvy, a Solomon in every 
fool, a Saint in every sinner. 

So the building of the Ideal Temple is living true to 
the Square. If we thus live, we will be firm and secure. 
The winds may blow, and the waves may dash themselves 
against us, but neither the storms of adversity, nor life, 
nor death itself can move us. Our lives will become con¬ 
secrated Temples. It matters little what our occupations 
may be, they will become sacred. In this light, the work¬ 
shop and the counting-house, the forge and the exchange, 
will be glorified as part of the Great Plan; and we our¬ 
selves will be, not the toil-ridden slaves of a vast in- 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 31 


exorable destiny, but the children of an all-loving, Infinite 
Father, co-workers with Him at the building of His Great 
Temple—“an house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens.” 

(6) Is Masonry To-day True to Its Mission? 

Before concluding our general consideration of “The 
Mission of Masonry,” there is a natural and practical 
question that faces us, viz., “Is Masonry To-day True to 
Its Mission?” 

To this question there appears but one answer possible 
and that is a sad “No.” Masons are not earnestly striv¬ 
ing to work to the Ideal Plan. They glorify their ancient 
and honourable Order in terms bordering on the bom¬ 
bastic, and sometimes even running into the ridiculous, 
yet how often are its symbols dishonoured and its cere¬ 
monies desecrated? Is this language rather strong? Can 
any terms be too strong in condemnation of that which 
no doubt many of us have seen and in our own hearts 
silently condemned? Let us face this matter fairly and 
squarely. The causes that at present hinder masonry 
from carrying out its mission properly are internal. 
They can be and ought to be removed. 

Why is it that so many sensible and intelligent men 
after being initiated drop out of the ranks and become 
lapsed members? Is it merely the “pure cussedness” of 
human nature, or selfishness, fickleness, or laziness? If 
we look closely into the matter we will find we cannot lay 
“this flattering unction” to our souls. Is the lodge-work 
so honestly and intelligently conducted that there is no 
excuse for the non-attendance of absent members, or for 
the ignorance of those present? Masonry to-day has too 
many members who are not masons, because the work 
of too many lodges is not masonry. If lodge-work was 


82 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


more faithfully and thoughtfully done, if more attention 
was given to the study of our symbols, and less to mere 
show and “harmonies,” the number of our intrantsimight 
be less, but the number of real masons in the world would 
be greater. Many of our beautiful symbols are scarcely 
ever heard of in our lodges, and only a few of our mem¬ 
bers have studied them, and learned the truths they con¬ 
tain. 

One of the causes of this condition of things is the 
election of men to prominent positions who have little 
heartfelt interest in, and less capacity for, the work of 
masonry. Many seek its honours in the same spirit as 
they seek titles in the outer world. They want the higher 
position not for the sake of the greater opportunity it 
may give them of doing good, but as a selfish distinction. 
When they have gained their object and masonry has 
served their purpose, they throw it aside as they do an 
old coat. Such men are not disposed to do much real 
work. They try to get through the work, not to do it. 
“What’s the use,” they say, “in bothering? My term of 
office will soon be over and I am no worse than many 
others.” Thus they excuse themselves from doing their 
duty and fulfilling their obligations. Of these it may 
be said—parodying the words of Young:— 

“They let unmarked and unemployed 
Their term of office run, 

And doing nothing for the Craft, 

Imagine nothing done. 

Fatal mistake, their fate goes on, 

Their dread account proceeds, 

And their not doing is set down 
Amongst their darkest deeds” 

The inferior work of a lodge not only fails generally 
to create a hearty interest in its symbolism, it often 
creates a positive disgust. The manner in which the 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 33 


sublime ceremony of the Master Degree is sometimes 
conducted makes it absolutely disgusting to men of in¬ 
telligence and good feeling. These displays should be 
sternly suppressed by the strong hand of Authority. But 
this suppression is not all that can, or that ought to be 
done. There should be educative action as well. It is 
not sufficient to drive out evil. Reform to be efficient 
must always substitute the good for the bad. 

A large number of earnest-minded members of the 
Craft attribute many of its evils to indiscriminate admis¬ 
sion. In this they are right, for in many quarters the idea 
seems prevalent that the function of a lodge is that of 
a press-gang to sweep in initiates and to make records. 
So long as the fees are paid the entrance is easy. Masters 
readily forget that they have sworn to see that no one is 
admitted into the lodge without due enquiry into his char¬ 
acter. There is no real scrutiny and the ballot is a farce. 
In such quarters numbers are confounded with success, 
quantity with strength, and money with virtue. It is 
forgotten that there is more energy in a grain of radium 
than in a mountain of rubbish, and that it is quality that 
tells in the work of the Universe. You may plus zero 
ad infinitum but the result will be nil. The addition of 
vice to vice will never produce virtue. Increase of num¬ 
bers may mean increased weakness. It has been small 
nations that have made history. 

To cure this evil of indiscriminate admission, the quack 
remedy of big fees is recommended. Our masonic Craft 
is to be sold at so much per yard, or so much per degree. 
Our salvation is to depend on big fees! At last, in the 
history of mankind, the guinea is to evolve the virtues 
of a god, and the golden calf is to possess all the quali¬ 
fications of a good candidate. This cure is worse than 
the disease. If high fees are needed let them be based 
on financial reasons. Have as high fees as you like, but, 


34 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


for Heaven’s sake, remember that a millionaire may be 
a blackguard, and that saints, for the most part, have 
been practically paupers. 

What then is the remedy? That effectually lies in the 
ballot box. Make it a reality and not a farce. Let every 
ball represent clear conviction and due enquiry. But 
the great mass of members will not take this trouble. 
They look more to the pounds, shillings and pence pros¬ 
perity of their lodge than to the welfare and real good 
of our Order. This narrow and selfish view has become 
so common that the real function of a lodge has been 
lost sight of. It no longer exists for the building of the 
Temple, but for its own little glorification and petty 
pride. What then should be done ? There may be some¬ 
thing better, but one thing might do good. Limit the 
number of initiates. Do not let any lodge admit more 
than a maximum in a year. Perhaps greater care in the 
selection and in the instruction of intrants would be the 
result of such a rule. 

Not many years ago St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh 
was a sight to make the angels weep. That grand struc¬ 
ture had been for years in the hands of men who had 
no appreciation of its beauty and grandeur and who, to 
suit their own narrow and coarse conceptions, partitioned 
and divided and covered it over with hideous lath and 
plaster. But the traditions of its beauty remained, and 
stimulated the study and observation of some lovers of 
the beautiful. The spring of an arch here and there, 
the glimpse of a pillar, the appearance of a bit of carved 
work, gave hints of the grand work beneath the ugly 
covering. By study, and not without some difficulty and 
even opposition, the original plan and lines of the build¬ 
ing were traced and this fine Cathedral was restored to 
bless the eyes and minds of men with its symmetry and 
beauty. As St. Giles was, so masonry now is. Dare we 


THE MISSION GENERALLY CONSIDERED 35 


hope as St. Giles is, so masonry will be, cleaned of all 
the rubbish and lath and plaster shams that at present 
disfigure and conceal its proportions and design, so that 
at last it may appear in its real beauty, to bless the hearts 
of men, and draw unto itself all who love the beautiful 
and true. At present it is in a transitional state. It has 
still to develop its true form. Gradually, and to many 
of us all too slowly, it is evolving into an institution that 
will ultimately, we believe, become a powerful factor for 
the peace and progress of Humanity. 


Chapter II 

THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 

Experience has taught us that our work must conform 
to the great dominant forces that surround it, if it is to 
exist. Our own existence and the permanence of our 
actions depend on obedience to Law. We must work 
with those mighty forces or they will destroy us. We 
find in masonry, or building, that the great dominant law 
is the Law of the Square, and we propose considering 
this law as follows, viz.:— 

(1) The Law of the Square in Nature. 

( 2 ) The Law of the Square in Material Building. 

( 3 ) The Law of the Square in Moral Building. 

( 4 ) The Law of the Square in the Point within the 

Circle. 

( 5 ) The Law of the Square in the Cross. 

( 1 ) The Law of the Square in Nature. 

There are two great forces operating on and through 
every atom of matter in our globe—the centrifugal force 
of the earth’s motion and the centripetal force of gravi¬ 
tation. The one flies from, and the other flows to, the 
centre of the earth. To get some idea of the centrifugal 
force of the earth’s motion let us look at the fly-wheel 
of a steam-engine at work. We wonder how it holds 
together. Its velocity is marvellous and quite beyond 
the power of our sight to follow. Although of hard 
iron it presents a kind of shadowy india-rubber-like out¬ 
line, as it speeds on at its terrific rate. Now, the maxi- 
36 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


37 


mum speed of the fly-wheel of an ordinary steam engine 
runs about 30,000 feet per minute, 340 miles an hour, or 
six times the speed of an express railway train. But 
the earth spins on its axis at the rate of 91,666 feet per 
minute or 1 , 041^2 miles an hour, and circles round the 
sun at the rate of 66,000 miles an hour. Think of it! 
Why, we are dreaming about electric railway trains fly¬ 
ing at one hundred miles an hour, and the present gen¬ 
eration scarcely expects to see that rate accomplished. 
Yet the earth flies at sixty-six thousand miles an hour 
and we are unaware of it until science demonstrates the 
fact. Now, according to the law known as Newton’s first 
law of motion, “any body moving with a given velocity 
in a given direction will continue so to move, unless acted 
upon by some external force.” The earth, all in it and 
on it, therefore, would fly asunder by reason of its own 
velocity were there no counteracting force, or if the 
counteracting force was not equal to the centrifugal force 
of the motion. The idea of the earth flying asunder and 
every molecule of it, and belonging to it, hurled out into 
space, seems almost inconceivable; yet science and reason 
and experience tell us that this would inevitably happen 
were there no opposing force; The restraining influence 
that prevents such a catastrophe is the power known 
by the name of gravitation, whose line of action is cen¬ 
tripetal and therefore opposed to the centrifugal force of 
the earth’s motion. 

But, if the power of gravitation preserves us from 
flying into space, the force of the earth’s motion on the 
other hand, prevents us from as great a catastrophe. If 
the latter was not balanced by the former this globe of 
ours would be squeezed into a dense minute ball, to a 
degree of hardness of which we have neither experience 
nor conception, and on which life and movement, as we 
know them, would be an impossibility. These two mighty 


38 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


forces work at a right angle (see Diagram I.). They 
meet “on the centre and work on the square,” and the 
result is the perfect poise and balance of forces, the 
orderly progression of the earth, the alternation of night 
and day, and the succession of the seasons. These all- 
prevailing and all-pervading forces cause man, and all 
the varied forces of nature, to work on the Square. The 
life energy, building cell by cell through all the multi- 



Diagram I. 


farious forms of the vegetable and animal kingdoms; the 
dewdrop, gathering on the petals of the daisy; the rain, 
condensing in the thunder cloud; the stream, leaping 
down the mountain side; the broad river, bearing navies 
on its breast; the ocean, ebbing and flowing, in storm or 
in calm; the very lightning flashing from the vault of 
heaven, and, we have every reason to believe, the mighty 
worlds, rolling through infinite space; all move and work 
under the dominion of the Law of the Square. 

It is in consequence of the perfect poise we have been 
referring to, that we are able to work through nature. 






THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


In mechanics we liberate and direct terrific power with 
the touch of a finger. There are innumerable levers in 
the world around us which we have not yet discovered. 
They are silently waiting for us. Their quietness is the 
result of perfect poise, and their perfect poise is the result 
of forces working on the square. Material, tons in 
weight, may be so balanced that the touch of a child’s 
finger will give direction to it. The light stroke of a 



cork hammer on a suspended ponderous bar of iron will 
cause it to vibrate from end to end and to emit a low deep 
sound. A weighing machine when in perfect poise is on 
the square, so is the natural balance of the material crea¬ 
tion (see Diagram II.). The sailor squares his sails and 
his helm to the wind, and a ship in full sail is a mass 
of right angles. The engineer constructs his piston and 
crank shaft at right angles and squares his line of motion 
to his line of resistance. The weaver throws his shuttle 
at right angles to his warp and every fabric is formed of 
threads on the square. The aviator sets his planes at 












40 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


right angles to his line of flight and flies on the square. 

Through all the Great Temple of the Universe, the 
Grand Architect and Master-Builder works on the square, 
and hence we must co-operate with Him and build on the 
square, if our work is to be firm and enduring. 

(2) The Law of the Square in Material Building. 

In Operative Masonry a building is constructed of 
material so placed and balanced that the pull of the great 
central forces is equal on all sides. It must conform to a 
line rising upwards on the plumb and to a line extending 
on a level. Its stability depends on its equilibrium and 
that is practically attained by what is called building on 
the Square, which means true to the level-line that repre¬ 
sents the centrifugal force of the earth’s motion and 
true to the plumb-line that represents the centripetal force 
of gravitation. 

Man’s earliest efforts in building were probably of a 
pyramid form. The walls and roof were in one line, 
and even after the introduction of upright walls, they 
appear to have been tapered from base to top. Gradually, 
no doubt in the course of centuries of experience and 
through the lessons of repeated failures, he acquired a 
working knowledge of the Law of the Square in build¬ 
ing. But it seems that it was only when he properly 
mastered the problem of forming a right angle that the 
day of civilisation really dawned. This was the chief 
corner-stone in his evolution. Progress, seemingly, would 
have been impossible without it. Art and science alike 
owe almost everything to it. The invention of the instru¬ 
ment known as the square followed naturally this great 
discovery, for it is the practical embodiment of the right 
angle. 

Man cannot work without tools. The necessity for 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 41 

these has stimulated his powers of invention, and his 
invention of them has enabled him, everywhere in the 
material creation, to conquer and establish his supremacy. 
By them and through them he has also developed his 
higher nature and extended his mental and spiritual hori¬ 
zon. In the long course of history his efforts in the con¬ 
struction of engines and tools have resulted even more 
to the expansion of his mind than to his material benefit. 
It is said that in the construction of the telescope he has 
received more education than in all the great discoveries 
he has made with it. The foundation of all his achieve¬ 
ments, however, lies in the discovery of the Square. 
Without this his work would have been limited to a nar¬ 
row field and his constructive power restricted to childish 
proportions. His civilisation would, probably, never have 
got beyond the bounds of that of the African, and his 
greatest building would likely have been equal to the 
wigwam of the American Indian. Hence the importance 
attached to this instrument and the reason why masons, 
speculative and operative, call it the great symbol of their 
Craft. But, however important it may be, it should not 
be forgotten that after all it is nothing more than an 
instrument. It has no power nor virtue in itself. Opera¬ 
tively, it derives its importance from being adjusted to 
the great central forces that dominate in the material 
world. Speculatively, it obtains its significance, because 
it represents the great faculty of Conscience that governs 
in the moral world. 

(3) The Law of the 'Square in Moral Building. 

In human nature, individually and socially, there are 
two great Forces constantly operating, analogous to those 
physical central forces we have been considering. The 
one is centrifugal and the other centripetal in character. 


42 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


The first is the passion for liberty, the rebellion against 
restraint, the refusal of the divine within man to become 
mere passive material in the mould of a cast-iron des¬ 
tiny; the desire of the soul to shape its own path and 
live its own life, the consciousness of individuality—of 
self. The other is the seeking of the human heart for 
association and sympathy with its fellows, the natural 
love of “kith and kin,” the mystic affinity of kindred souls 
and, above all, the seeking to the great centre—the Father 
of our being. When these two great forces in human 
affairs act on the right angle of the square the result 
is progress, peace, and happiness. But, if the first is 
allowed to predominate, the passion for liberty makes 
for disobedience, the eating of the fruit of the tree of 
knowledge, the setting up of self as the centre of a little 
molecule of a world that wanders like a prodigal through 
weary, dreary, space—and which will never find rest 
until it seeks and returns to the bosom of the Great 
Centre. If the second force predominates, sympathy and 
love degenerate into weakness and stagnation,—the in¬ 
dividual becomes like a cork on the wave or a straw 
in the wind. The power of spontaneous action, freedom 
of opinion and freedom of conscience, become impossible. 
The soul loses its individuality. It cannot benefit from 
experience and comes at last to live in a prison-house 
crushed, coffined, and confined, and unfit for the service 
of God or Man. 

The passion for liberty, arising from the consciousness 
of individuality and responsibility, is the working of 
spiritual heredity. Man’s very ability to sin is the proof 
of his divine origin. Yet it is only when this individual¬ 
ity is held in proper check, by love to his fellows and to 
his Divine Father, that he can be redeemed from the chaos 
of sin and selfishness and have a place in the cosmos of 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 43 

righteousness. It is only when the great centrifugal 
force of individuality, of self, and the great centripetal 
force of love and sympathy are squared to a true balance 
in human life that happiness and progress are possible, 
and, just as with those great natural forces we have been 
referring to, the moral forces in human life—Self and 
Love—will only work on the square when they meet and 
unite in the Great Centre of All . 

In Speculative Masonry, as in Operative, there are 
two lines—a plumb-line and a level-line—to which we 
must work. The one is the Heaven-line of duty to the 
Divine, and the other is the Earth-line of duty to the 
Human. Toward our fellow-men we act on the Level, 
and the golden rule of the level-line of duty is, to do 
to others as we would that others should do to us. 
This has been the wisdom of the sage from the remotest 
time, and we know by experience that it is as true morally 
as the Law of Gravitation is physically. If we act un¬ 
justly to our neighbour, we wrong ourselves. If we 
wrong ourselves, we are not true to our neighbour; and 
we cannot wrong our neighbour nor ourselves without 
being untrue to our Creator. Equipoise in the moral 
world is as inexorable a law of stability as in the physi¬ 
cal. Perfect poise is the result, and silence is the evidence 
of forces working on the square. Noise proclaims some¬ 
thing wrong, something off the square, and indicates 
waste of energy. In human society the same principle 
holds good. Strife, noise and war, waste, want and 
misery, represent the unsquare conditions. Unity, con¬ 
cord and peace, economy, plenty and happiness charac¬ 
terise the square conditions. The individual, also, whose 
life is built on the square, has that spiritual poise called 
“the peace of God”—the perfect moral stability of the 
soul that lives in harmony with the Great Centre of All. 


44 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


The instrument called the Square, in operative building, 
has its counterpart, in moral building, in the faculty called 
the Conscience. As the Square is applied by the opera¬ 
tive to his work, so are we to apply our conscience to 
our work of life-building. It is true, theoretically, neither 
Square nor Conscience is perfect. But they are the best, 
and the only test we have, and are, in their respective 
spheres, indispensable to true building. Each represents 
a great invisible power to which they have been pri¬ 
marily adjusted,—the one to the centre of the material 
earth, the other to the moral centre of the universe. They 
are both subject to deterioration and damage, and ought, 
therefore, to be preserved, with the utmost care, from 
all strain and violence, so that they may be true and 
reliable guides. 

From these considerations we arrive at the following 
conclusions:— 

( a ) That Operative building on the Square is working 
true to the centre of Gravity. 

( b ) That the instrument called the Square has been 
constructed to guide the Operative in so working. 

(c) That the Square is the visible representation of a 
great invisible law, or power, dominating all 
matter. 

( d) That moral building on the Square is living true 
to the great Divine Centre. 

(e) That the faculty called Conscience will guide us 
in so living, just as the Square guides the work 
of the Operative. 

(/) That the Conscience is the representative within 
us of the Divine Spirit as the Square is the rep¬ 
resentative of the Law of Gravitation, and if 
we live true to it, we will build our lives square 
with the Creator and Father of our being, the 
Divine Centre of All. 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


45 


(4) The Law of the Square in the Point within 
the Circle. 

On certain occasions we hear of the finding of certain 
secrets “on the Centre/’ and the Centre is explained 
to be “That point within a circle from which every part 
of the circumference is equi-distant.” It is also stated 
that the Centre “is a. point from which a master-mason 



Diagram III. 


cannot err.” The language used on such occasions is 
obscure. As in many things in our ancient institution 
we have here preserved a broken husk and lost the kernel. 
Repeating words by rote, without attending to their 
meaning, has had the sure result of confusing the words 
and destroying the sense. It is the truth, recognised 
within any form, that preserves the correct form. The 
moment the true spirit and meaning is lost, confusion 
of the word begins. Now, the phrases referred to have, 
no doubt, puzzled us all, more or less, at times. Can 




46 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

we get a key to their meaning? Notwithstanding their 
vagueness they have an apparent reference to the sym¬ 
bol known as “The Point within the Circle” (see Diagram 
III.). Let us see if this symbol can give us some light 
and reveal the meaning of the peculiar phrases we have 
just mentioned. 

Not long ago, it was uncommon to find a craftsman 
capable of proving his square. Even in Scotland, where 



Diagram IV. 


education was more general than elsewhere, this was 
so. The method of proving seems to have been one of 
those trade secrets jealously guarded, not only from the 
outer world but, also, from the members of the Craft 
belonging to an inferior grade. It was the natural duty 
of the master to prove the square of the craftsman and 
it was important that, in so doing, he should not err. If 
the square was wrong, the work could not be right, and 
an error might cause ruin to the building and loss of life 
to the workman. The following seems to have been the 
method usually practised by operatives in proving a 



THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


47 


square. Take a drawing-board, or a sheet of paper, mark 
a point as a centre and from it describe a circle. Draw a 
straight line through the centre and intersect the circum¬ 
ference at A and B. It does not matter whether the line 
is horizontal or otherwise, so long as it is straight and 
goes through the central point (see Diagram IV.). Now, 
mark any point of the circumference you please, say C, 
and draw the lines C A and C B, and you will have a 
right or square angle. There are other ways of obtaining 
this result—no doubt known to you all—but, for sim¬ 
plicity and ease, this method is well suited for the opera¬ 
tive mason and seems to have been that in general use 
in England and Scotland. But, neither in this nor in 
any other way, can a right angle be formed, without rely¬ 
ing on a centre . If the square was destroyed, or the 
right angle lost, the master-mason could find it, or renew 
it only, by working on the centre. On this depended the 
resurrection and regeneration of that which was lost. 
Without the central point the right.angle cannot be found, 
the secret of the square is lost, and the work of the 
Temple is at a standstill. 

The conclusion seems irresistible that the language re¬ 
ferred to has an implied reference to the symbol of “The 
Point within the Circle,” and that it affords us the only 
reasonable interpretation of the obscure and occult phrases 
we have been considering. That the words have become 
corrupt and the original meaning lost is self-evident, and 
this symbol seems to be the only guide in the field to 
a natural explanation of them. Taking it as a guide, 
the answer to the question of why the lost secrets should 
be found on a centre, viz.:—“Because that is a point 
from which no M.M. can err/’—should probably be “be¬ 
cause, relying on that point, no M.M. can err from the 
square.” 

But, here arises the natural question—what connection 


48 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


is there between the Hiramic legend and the point within 
the Circle? It is stated that “the genuine secrets were 
lost by the untimely death of our Master, etc.,” and that 
these were to be found “on the Centre.” This brings us 
to a brief examination of the history, so far as is known, 
of the M.M. degree; Prior to the 1717 evolution there 
is not the smallest trace of a M.M. ceremony and degree, 
in the present day sense of those terms. But, while ac¬ 
cepting this as absolutely true, we are not thereby bound 
to accept the theory of the introduction of a brand-new 
degree. It is surely neither fair nor scientific to< conclude 
that, because Desaguliers and Anderson constructed the 
degree, they also manufactured the material of it. The 
opinion of such an excellent authority as Br. R. F. Gould 
is worthy of being noted. He says in his history of 
Freemasonry: “Whatever difficulties may appear to exist 
in tracing the Hiramic Legend in the Companionage to 
an earlier date than 1717, the inference that it can be 
so carried back, problematical as it may be, affords,* per¬ 
haps, the only—and certainly the best—justification for 
the belief that, in Freemasonry, the Legend of Hiram 
the builder antedates the era of Grand Lodges.” Hiram 
is not mentioned by name in a number of the old MSS., 
but he is alluded to in several of these as Solomon’s 
“Master-Mason” and “Chief Master of his Masonrie and 
of all his Graving, Carving and all other Masonrie that 
belonged to the Temple.” In the Inigo Jones MS. (date 
1607) he is mentioned by name as “Hiram Abif.” In the 
Companionage of France there are traditionary legends 
very similar to those connected with the Master-degree 
of the Masonic Order. The former, as an organised 
society, was in existence in the fourteenth century and 
still exists; and there is no trace, nor proof, of any inter¬ 
change of legendary lore between the two organisations. 
Every indication we have of both, from the earliest 


49 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 

records on to the eighteenth century, point to the con¬ 
trary. There appears, therefore, only one inference in 
these circumstances, viz.:—that the legend common to 
both has been transmitted by a prehistoric predecessor 
and, perhaps, a common ancestor. 

That the M.M. degree and ceremony, in anything like 
its present form, did not exist prior to the beginning 
of the eighteenth century, we may safely accept as an 
historical fact. But the material of which it is formed 
may have been, and probably was, floating in the old 
craft lodges in a nebulous traditionary form. This is 
the only view that appears consistent with the reception 
accorded to it in England and particularly in Scotland. 
It is scarcely likely that the old English lodges would 
have accepted it had it been a pure invention, and had 
it not harmonised with pre-existing ideas, familiar to 
the minds of the members, although, probably, not in 
the same form. In Scotland, especially, one cannot recon¬ 
cile its reception on any other ground. The Scottish 
mind is ever jealous of its rights and ready to resent 
any attempt to impose on it foreign ideas. Had this 
degree and ceremony been altogether an invention it 
would have had as little chance of being accepted in 
Scotland in the beginning of the eighteenth, as the Church 
liturgy of King Charles had in the beginning of the 
seventeenth century. The events connected with the Cov¬ 
enanters in Scotland were too recent, and of too painful 
a character, to allow anything coming from London to 
pass without close scrutiny. Hence there is an irresistible 
inference that the third degree, as constructed immedi¬ 
ately after the formation of the Grand Lodge of England 
in 1717, was composed of ideas and traditions familiar 
to the masons of that period. 

Coming back to the finding of certain secrets “on the 
Centre,” and the mingling of the Hiramic Legend with 


50 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


the symbol of the Point within the Circle, it appears 
probable that since the ceremony was first formulated 
a number of alterations have occurred, as shown by the 
varied versions now current. As it stands, we can 
scarcely imagine any one purposely constructing it. In 
these circumstances we are forced to the conclusion that 
it was originally different and presented some coherent 
and intelligible idea. What was that? The secret lost 
through the death of the Master is to be found “on the 
Centre.” The square by which the work of building 
can be carried on has been lost but it, also, is to be 
found “on the Centre.” Death and Immortality, or 
Regeneration, are linked together. Just as the operative 
renews the square by relying on the central point, so 
is the regeneration of the soul to be found by faith on 
the Divine Centre. The secret is lost, not destroyed. 
It can be found. The universe is built on mathematical 
lines. As Plato puts it, “God is always geometrising.” 
The master-secret of true building, physically and mor¬ 
ally, is only to be found on the Centre, and the symbol 
of “the Point within the Circle” contains the secret by 
which we may find that right angle to which all our 
building must conform, if it is to be upheld by the infinite 
central forces in the material and in the moral world. 

The ancient method of confirming a covenant suggests 
a relation to the Point within the Circle. We are told 
a heifer or calf was killed and severed in two. One 
half was placed on the north side and the other on the 
south side of a circle, and the bowels were burned to 
ashes in the centre. The contracting parties moving 
within the Circle took up the ashes and scattered them 
to the four quarters of the earth, exclaiming, “So be it 
done unto me if I fulfil not my vow.” The word “Cov¬ 
enant” in Hebrew is said to mean “to cut or dissect.” 
The Latin “Fcedus” has the same origin, according to 


51 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 

the etymology given by Servius (a Foedus vulneribus 
sacrificii). 1 Here we have a singular combination and 
correspondence in the Hi ramie Legend, the Point within 
the Circle, and certain points which will be readily ap¬ 
prehended by M.Ms. The ‘‘Opening’’ on the Centre, 
the placing of the Compasses with both points above 



the square, and one of the principal proving actions of 
a M.M., with the general nature of the M. ceremonies; 
all present remarkable similarities to the Point within 
the Circle and the ideas associated with it. 

Returning to a more direct consideration of the Law 
of the Square and the symbolic lessons of the Point 
within the Circle, let us view the symbol in the manner 
common to masonic symbols—in its operative and specu¬ 
lative aspects. Take the circle as representing the earth, 
and the point the centre of gravity. Everything on the 

i Biblical Antiquities by John Jahn, D.D., translated by Professor 
Upham. 







52 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


earth conforms to the great and probably inexplicable 
force called the Law of Gravity—that pervades and holds 
the globe and all that it contains, to a common centre. 
The Architect when designing, and the operative when 
building, must work according to it, or their work will 
come to nought. The Circle depends on the Centre, 
physically, as well as mathematically. The lines of thou¬ 
sands of plummets spread over the globe all converge 
to a point (see Diagram V.), and all things in it and 
on it are united together and fixed to this central point. 
The operative mason works to the plumb-line and the 
level-line and hence his buildings rise true and stand 
true to the square. They are firm and stable because, 
being square, they are true to the earth’s centre. Hence 
the operative master mason if in working he relies on 
the centre, that is the centre of gravity, cannot err from 
the square; and this is, perhaps, the reason for the phrase, 
in the ceremony referred to, that the centre is a point 
“from which no master mason can err. ,, If he errs 
from that centre his work will be neither plumb nor level, 
and will therefore be unsquare, in which case he is not 
a Master of his Craft. He errs from the square, because 
he relies not on the centre. 

In the moral world there is only one centre that can 
bind Humanity together, and that is the Divine Centre. 
There is only one power that can unite men as brethren, 
and that is love and reverence for the Great Father of 
All. How can a Brotherhood exist without a Father¬ 
hood? In the square, the plumb-line is the Fatherhood 
of God, and the level-line is the Brotherhood of man. 
The sum of the Commandments is, “Love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with 
all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself ” This is 
the Law of the square. It is this central truth—this 
Faith in a great Divine Centre—that binds together 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 53 

everything in the moral world, and gives to it plan, 
order, and purpose. Without it, all is chaos and dark¬ 
ness. There is no other bond possible, there is none 
other desirable. We may as soon expect to see a material 
building stand independent of the Law of Gravitation, 
as to find a true Brotherhood that acknowledges not the 



Diagram VI. 


Fatherhood of God. The building that has not its bond 
of union in the centre of the earth cannot stand. The 
Brotherhood that has not its union in the heart of God 
cannot last. 

We find further from this symbol that Toleration is in 
strict accordance with the Law of the Square. No two 
buildings are, or can be, built on parallel lines, and no 
two individuals are, or can be, looking at things from 
the same standpoint. Buildings, although each true to 


54 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


the centre of gravity, are not parallel to each other (see 
Diagram VI.). They may be all equally plumb but they 
cannot be equi-distant at copestone and foundation. They 
diverge from each other. So we may all grow upward 
on different lines of thought and yet be equally true 
to the same great Truth. Our views and our creeds 
may not run on parallel lines and yet our hearts may be 
all true to the one Great Centre. Parallel views and 
beliefs are as impossible in the moral world, as parallel 
lines of buildings are in the physical. The standpoint 
from which we view things is on the circle and not on 
the centre. We look along separate lines of thought and 
see only our own line and angle of the truth. We cannot 
see the whole truth of anything. Wherefore then, should 
we quarrel and bear ill-will to each other because our 
views are different? Our standpoints are the result 
of birth and environment more than of free choice, and 
our views are different because we have different stand¬ 
points. The influences of heredity, environment, educa¬ 
tion, society, friendship, love, and those inspirations and 
aspirations that come through the mysterious veil that 
hides the beyond from our ken, all shape and mould 
our souls and place us at different points of view. At 
present it is not meant that our views should be the 
same. Are not brotherly toleration and charity more 
valuable than uniformity and conformity of belief and 
doctrine? Our differences will grow the less as we 
approach the Great Centre, and the more we recede from 
that point the more divergent will our views become, 
and the greater will our differences be. 

But while our views are necessarily limited and partial, 
being from the circle, there is in the centre an All-Seeing 
Eye that looks along all the lines of thought and before 
which the Universe lies open as a page (see Diagram 
VII.). Knowledge is power. To know, or see clearly, 


55 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 

the laws that dominate is to have the power to operate 
through them. Thus, Omniscience—the All-seeing—is, 
also, Omnipotence—the All-mighty. We can only know 
in part and must believe in part. Hence Faith, through 
the very limitations and conditions of our knowledge, 
becomes the great factor that enables us to move onward 
to the eternal Centre of all Light and Truth. Let us. 



therefore, accept our differences as inevitable to our 
imperfect vision, and, in the spirit of that broad toleration 
and charity so beautifully taught us in the symbolism 
of our Craft, let us work onward to the Centre, where all 
our different views will unite and blend together into 
one glorious vision of the Truth. 

(5) The Law of the Square in the Cross . 

Masons, generally, do not associate the Square with 
the Cross; yet essentially they are the same. The cross 






56 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


is composed of right angles, or squares. It is found 
on rocks chiselled in the prehistoric ages and in graves, 
carved on rude pottery, buried with bodies whose very 
bones in the course of thousands of years have crumbled 
into dust, and on the top of which lie the ruins of periods 
and of peoples of whom History has not the faintest 



Diagram VIII. 


trace. It is found thus, not in an isolated spot, but in 
regions scattered far apart. It is the most universal of 
all symbols. In the Hindu Temples, in the Egyptian 
Pyramids, in the ruined altars of America, and in the 
churches of Christendom, ancient and modern alike, it 
occupies a conspicuous position. In the Encyclopedia 
Britannica a writer says: “Numerous instances, dating 
from the later stone age to Christian times, have been 
found in nearly every part of Europe. The use of the 
cross, as a religious symbol, in pre-Christian times and 











THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


57 


among non-Christian peoples may probably be regarded 
as almost universal, and in very many cases it was con¬ 
nected with some form of nature worship.” In the an¬ 
nual of the British School at Athens, No. IX., 1903-4, 
there is a report of certain excavations at Knossos, and 
of discoveries made regarding the worship of Pelasgian 
Greece. Diagram VIII. is a copy of the conjectural 
arrangement of a shrine of Snake-Goddess, shown in 



Diagram IX. 


that publication and formed of objects found in the 
excavations. In this shrine the central cult-object is a 
marble cross. The date given is between 4000 and 
2000 B.C. 

In the ancient Egyptian city of On, according to 
Ritter (Erdkunde i. 823) as quoted by Kitto (Biblical 
Encyc. vol. iii., p. 364) “the sole remaining obelisk is 
from sixty to seventy feet high of a block of red granite, 
bearing hieroglyphics which remind the beholder of what 
Strabo terms the Etruscan style. The figure of the Cross 
which it bears (Crux Ansata, see Diagram X.) has at¬ 
tracted the special notice of Christian antiquaries.” 




58 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


The cross shown in Diagram IX., with a circle round 
it, and which for reference I name the Palaeolithic, is 
associated with the earliest known relics of humanity, 
with the most ancient carvings and records of India, and 
with coins and medals belonging to a pre-Christian age 
in France and elsewhere. That shown in Diagram X. 
is known as the Tau. This form was familiar to the 
Egyptians and Greeks, and was to them the symbol of 



Diagram X. 


Diagram XI. 


Regeneration or Immortality. The most common form 
now in use in Europe is that known as the Latin Cross, 
in Diagram XI. There are also the St. Andrew’s, Dia¬ 
gram XII.; the Celtic, Diagram XIII.; and the Greek 
form, Diagram XIV.; with other variations; and, fur¬ 
ther, there is the Svastika, Diagram XV. This last named 
has a wide range of distribution and is found on all 
kinds of objects. Ten centuries before Christ it was a 
religious symbol in India and China. A fine sepulchral 
urn, found in Shropham, Norfolk, and which is now in 
the British Museum, shows three bands of cruciform 





THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


59 


ornaments round it. The two at the top consist of circles 
with a cross within, and the lowest band is formed of 
squares and in each square is a Svastika. 2 

In all kinds the cross is formed of right angles, and 
the circle is implied where not shown. In the Latin and 
Greek forms generally the circle has disappeared, but it 


Diagram XII. 




is still found at times, particularly in paintings, where it 
is shown as a halo of light behind the cross. As the 
craftsman in making the cross has first to form the 
circle and from its centre work out the limbs, the circle 
must always be assumed to be present, even where it 
does not appear. The oldest form always has the circle. 

Encyclopedia Britannica. 





60 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


In the Egyptian form, the circle is placed on the top, and 
the vertical limb is lengthened, evidently to form a 
handle. To the Egyptians this circle symbolised the 
generative, or productive power, in nature. It is the 
transverse section of the egg, which was also used some¬ 
times in its upright shape, in the form of a loop or oval. 
We find the Hindus representing the same idea, also 
by a loop, but in every case the circle, or loop, is asso- 



Diagram XIV. 


ciated with a cross. The basis of Gothic architecture 
is the cross, the triangle and the loop, all of which are 
interrelated (see Diagrams XVI. and XVII.). The cross 
and triangle form the base of the plan, and the loop forms 
the plan for the windows, doors, and sometimes the roof. 

Laying aside details not helpful to our present purpose, 
let us turn our attention to the general ideas connected 
with this symbol. The ancients of Asia, Africa and 
Europe considered the circle as the symbol of the Divine 
One circumscribing Himself, so as to become manifested 
to us. The limitations of human nature demand this 




61 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 

restriction, for, otherwise, we could have no knowledge 
of Him. Without the limiting circle we gaze on bound¬ 
less space, incomprehensible and void of any idea to our 
minds. We must have form before we can have ideas. 
The blank page of a book conveys nothing. Draw on it 
a flower, or an animal, and an idea is presented to the 
mind. Thus, the Divine One circumscribed Himself in 
His Creation and for our sakes clothed Himself in a 



Diagram XV. 


garment of matter, so that He might be manifested to us. 
The material universe is everywhere a circumscribing of 
the Infinite and the cross symbolises the Divine mani¬ 
festations of Power, Light, Life, and Love. 

The first Divine manifestation symbolised by the cross 
is that of Power. The two lines of the cross, intersecting 
at right angles in the centre and extending to the utmost 
limits of the circle, represent the two great central forces 
which dominate all matter and which we have already 
considered in the Law of the Square in Nature. If we 
work with these forces, the Divine Power in them will 


62 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


manifest itself by working with us. If we work against 
them, it will manifest itself by destroying our work. 


Diagram XVI. 



Diagram XVII. 


They work on the square, as shown in the symbol, and 
we must therefore work on the square if we are to have 
the Divine Power with us. 















63 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 

The second Divine manifestation symbolised by the 
cross is that of Light. Darkness is infinite and expresses 
nothing. Light is circumscribed that it may be mani¬ 
fested. It comes out of darkness and is lost in darkness. 
The energy from the sun comes to our earth through the 
boundless ether: cold, silent, and in darkness. Did it 
come in the form of direct Light the whole heavens would 
be ablaze and we would see nothing else. Not until it 
impinges on our atmosphere does it burst into light. In 
the same way, electricity is unseen in the wire until it 
meets with the resisting carbon. Coal-gas, the common 
candle, and the lamp, are all enveloped in darkness until 
they manifest their light in almost essentially similar, 
although apparently, different conditions. In all these 
varied conditions, however, light manifests itself on the 
square. The energy from the sun strikes our atmosphere 
at right angles and bursts into light. A rope, stretched 
out with one end fastened and the other end shaken by 
the hand, appears to have waves running from end to 
end. In reality it is moving up and down, at right angles 
to the line of progress. Science tells us it is in this way 
light moves. It works on the square, and the circle 
with the square, or cross, is a fitting symbol of the 
manifestation of material light. 

But this symbol is particularly representative of moral 
light. That only can be light morally that is true and 
square. Beliefs and doctrines that do not accord with 
the right angle of our conscientious convictions, can never 
give light. Truth itself can never be truth to us, until 
we are true to it. It is dark, cold, silent, as the sun’s 
energy in the ether, until our souls receive it on the right 
angle of the square, then it becomes “a lamp unto our 
feet and a light unto our path.” 

The third Divine manifestation symbolised by the cross 
is that of Life. Through all nature there are two great 


64 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


elemental principles variously called the active and the 
passive, the positive and the negative, the male and the 
female. The various units of atoms, molecules, vege¬ 
tables and animals possess one, or both, of these princi¬ 
ples. In the inanimate kingdom, the terms “polarity” and 
“affinity” are employed to indicate the action of these 
principles and the relation of the one to the other. In 
the animate kingdom the word “sex” is used for the 
same purpose. In both kingdoms everywhere we find 
these two elemental principles at work. The formation 
of a crystal and of a crystalloid, the building of a tree 
and of a man, all seem to proceed along the lines of 
two main forces working at right angles—that is, work¬ 
ing on the square. The atoms, which form the basis 
of the material creation, have their positive and negative 
poles. According to the latest scientific discoveries, they 
are the product of electricity and something called pro- 
tyle, the one being active and the other passive. 

But it is for the spiritual truths which this symbol 
reveals and yet conceals that it is of greatest importance 
to us. In the frescoes of the Pyramids we see it in the 
hands of the god, as the symbol of Regeneration. The 
dead one is shown lying on the ground in the form of a 
mummy, and the god is coming to touch his lips with it 
and revivify his body. Ages before Egyptian civilisation 
dawned, it was carved on pottery, and buried with human 
bodies along with food and weapons, the evidence, even 
in that early period, of a faith in a resurrection and a life 
beyond the tomb. 3 

It is a somewhat saddening and peculiar fact that this 

8 A curious custom, no doubt still existing in some parts, was com¬ 
mon some fifty years ago in Scotland. In the M.M. ceremony, a Square 
was secreted on the person of the chief individual, at that stage of the 
proceedings which a M.M. will readily imagine. Can there be any pos¬ 
sible connection between , this and the placing of the pottery with the 
Palaeolithic Cross in the prehistoric graves? 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 65 

sacred symbol should have been associated with, what 
appears to us to be, a vile and most degrading worship. 
While the Phallic cult may have originally been the 
recognition of a Divine purpose running through all the 
arrangements for the propagation of life, and of the 
symbolic lesson therein of a spiritual regeneration, yet 
the broad fact remains that the multitude saw in it the 
reflex of their own animal passions. It brought ruin on 
the Greek and Roman empires. Had the glory of art, 
the abundance of wealth, the grandeur of philosophy, 
or the culture of the intellect, possessed any power of 
salvation, these peoples would have survived. But sal¬ 
vation is neither possible to the individual, nor to the 
community, that is impure. If you worship the brute, 
a brute you will be. If you would be divine, worship 
the Divine. Well did the Knight Sir Galahad say,— 

“My strength is as the strength of ten, 

Because my heart is pure.” 

The fourth Divine manifestation symbolised by the 
cross is that of Love. From the degrading associations 
of Phallic worship this symbol had to be purged and 
purified by blood and sorrow. For many years it was 
an instrument of tyranny for the infliction of cruel and 
intense suffering. There can be little doubt but thousands 
suffered from it whose only fault was in being too good 
to be understood. The divine soul everywhere is at first 
misunderstood. His language is heaven-born and his 
earth-bound hearers cannot interpret it. Hence the 
thorny crown of derision. The good are not allowed to 
pursue their quiet path. They are dragged into the full 
blaze of fame and their pains and punishment become 
their glory. Love’s best work is most likely to be re¬ 
jected and despised. The key-stone of genius and piety 


66 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


often receives the “heave-over,” as the prelude to ex¬ 
altation and the highest honour is ever gained through 
sacrifice. Suffering is the perfecting process of the per¬ 
fect ashlar. Insensibility is the sign of degradation. 
Capacity for suffering is the mark and insignia of rank 
in the scale of evolution. The higher the love, the deeper 
the sorrow. Through tribulation the higher forms of life 
are born. By painful endeavour only, the divine rises 
out of the human and climbs upwards, and the highest 
patent to soul-nobility is sealed in fire and blood. Why 
there should be pain and sorrow is hard to understand, 
and, more particularly, why they should so often be the 
lot of the noble and the good. We cannot grasp the 
whole truth of the matter, yet we know that our sorest 
sorrows are often our greatest blessings, and hence we 
believe an infinite loving purpose runs through all. Out 
of the sin, suffering and sorrow of humanity, the Divine 
Love will regenerate and raise the soul to life eternal. 
This is the highest significance of this symbol. The lines 
of mortality and immortality, of pain and pleasure, of 
sorrow and joy, here meet in the centre of death, and 
death itself becomes a manifestation of Divine Love. 

The Divine manifestations in the Power , that rules 
and works through the material creation; in the Light, 
that shows the majesty and beauty of the heavens and 
the earth; in the Life, that throbs and propagates itself 
in manifold and multitudinous forms throughout the 
globe, are but the forerunners of the greater manifesta¬ 
tion in the Love that can create righteousness and peace 
out of sin and selfishness, transform sorrow and suffer¬ 
ing into bliss and glory, and raise mortality through the 
gloomy portals of the grave into immortality and eternal 
light. 

The Earth-Spirit in Faust sings:— 


THE LAW OF THE SQUARE 


67 


“In Being’s floods, in Action’s storm, 

I walk and work, above, beneath, 

Work and weave in endless motion! 

Birth and Death, 

An infinite ocean; 

A seizing and giving, 

The fire of Living: 

’Tis thus at the roaring Loom of Time I ply, 

And weave for God the Garment thou seest Him by.” 

Yes, the Divine Jehovah circumscribes Himself in the 
universe around us and the garment of His manifesta¬ 
tions is woven on the square. In “the roaring Loom of 
Time” the garment passes before our vision for a little 
and is lost in the gathering beam behind, and although 
we cannot understand the why or wherefore of it all, we 
can yet see that every thread is running on the square, 
and that the whole garment is woven in crosses, to the 
right angle of eternal Justice and Love. 

(6) Summary of the Law of the Square. 

We have considered The Law of the Square (i) in 
Nature, (2) in Material Building, (3) in Moral Building, 

(4) in the Symbol of the Point within the Circle, and 

(5) in the Symbol of the Cross. The conclusion and the 
lesson we draw from all these considerations is, that just 
as the operative master cannot err from the square if he 
keeps true to the earth’s centre of gravity, so we cannot 
err from the square morally so long as we keep true to 
the Divine Centre of All. Carlyle in his Past and Present 
says, “Towards an eternal centre of right and nobleness, 
and of that only, is all this confusion tending.” Through 
all the doubts and uncertainties, the trials and triumphs, 
the clouds and sunshine of the circle of human life, there 
is only one point we can with certainty rely on, there is 


68 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


only one centre that can give us the right angle by which 
to live and work together. Amid all the mystery of sin, 
misery, and pain, the red riot of war and the thousand 
forms of evil around us, the one consoling faith is, that 
in the centre of this incomprehensible universe there beats 
the living, loving heart of an Almighty Father, Who will 
place in His eternal Temple all that is true and square 
and Who out of this dark material chaos shall yet evolve 
a glorious spiritual cosmos: 

“For so the whole round earth is every way 
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.” 4 

^ Tennyson’s “Morte D’Arthur.” 


Chapter III 


THE QUARRIES, OR THE SELECTION OF THE 
MATERIAL 

Having considered “The Law of the Square,” which 
governs the plan and the work of building, we will now 
turn our attention to the details, or sections, of the work. 
The first step in building is to procure material for the 
structure, to find out the available quarries from which 
such material ran be got, and to select the material best 
suited for the nature and the character of the structure 
designed. We propose, therefore, to consider this part 
of our subject under the three following points:— 

(1) The Material Suitable. 

(2) The Quarries Available. 

(3) The Process of Selection. 

(1) The Materiel Suitable. 

The word “material” is here used in its primary sense, 
meaning—“building stuff,” and, as our proposed edifice 
is not of matter but of spirit, our building stuff, or ma¬ 
terial, must be of a like nature. It is the thoughts that 
occupy our minds and absorb our hearts that form the 
material for the Ideal Temple or Soul-Structure. 

We have what we call “habits,” a word, as you know, 
that comes from the Latin “liabitus”—a state, tendency, 
or condition. It implies environment, and hence it is 
applied to clothes, costumes, and houses. There are 
habits which we wear, and there are habitations which 
we, inhabitants, inhabit The mind dominates the body 


70 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


and our mental habits dominate our characters and lives. 
Thoughts run in grooves. Like streams of water they 
make their own channels. Habit is the groove, or chan¬ 
nel, of thought, and its banks form the natural boun¬ 
daries of our lives. As the protozoic cells become the 
bodies in which the life dwells; as the secretions of the 
mollusc forms the shell in which it lives; and, as the stones 
from the quarries form our dwelling houses; so Thought 
secretes and generates, shapes and moulds, forms and 
builds that ethereal something, which forms the abode or 
habitation of our souls. 

Every moment of our lives we are thinking. Even in 
sleep, although we may not always be conscious of it, we 
are thinking. With every pulse of life there is thought. 
Just as life in the natural world, in its infinite variety of 
forms, is ever moving and working without pause or rest, 
so is thought, with endless motion, making and moulding 
in the spiritual world. Thought, like Life, is a mystery. 
We know of it, but cannot explain it. Whence thoughts 
come, or whither they travel, who can tell? We are not 
their creators. We can no more create thoughts than we 
can create stones. The inspirations of the poet, or the 
artist, are as great a surprise to him as to us. The 
thought sometimes comes like a flash and stands, full and 
clear, before the mind’s eye. At other times, it is pain¬ 
fully born of long patient brooding. In whatever manner 
they may be evolved, our thoughts stand out to our mental 
vision, distinguished from each other by their form. 
They come and go. Disappearing to-day, they may re¬ 
appear to-morrow, or not for years. But whether they 
reappear immediately, or not for a long period, they are 
all the time floating in those mysterious recesses of our 
souls, which we have not as yet been able to explore, and 
into which our mental vision cannot yet penetrate. 


THE QUARRIES 


71 


As the nature of the structure at which we are work¬ 
ing demands thought-material, so, also, its character calls 
for the selection of good material. Every human being 
is a builder of his eternal habitation, whether he wills it 
or not. We determine our own reward and our own 
punishment. God does not punish us. We do that full 
well ourselves. We build our thoughts into a Temple, or 
into a prison. If we build according to the plan on our 
trestleboard, our reward will be a glorious Temple, in 
which the Divine Father Himself will dwell with us. If 
we build not to that plan, our punishment will be a 
prison of our own building, the dismal walls of which will 
separate us from Light, Love, and Liberty. 

In these circumstances, it is of the utmost importance 
that we should select suitable and good material for our 
building. How often has the genius of the architect, the 
skill of the operative, and the expenditure of capital and 
labour been lost through the bad character of the material 
on which they were expended? Of what use is genius, 
skill, and wealth when allied with material of a transitory 
and inferior nature? Goodness is the great essential in 
all things, and in our soul-structures it is everything. We 
are at present engaged in selecting material for a building 
that has to last, not for a few years, nor for an age, but 
for ever. It depends on our selection whether we will 
dwell in the hereafter surrounded by things lovely and 
good, or by things ugly and evil. You cannot build a 
sound structure with sand and shalestones. You cannot 
get good fruit from a poisonous plant. Figs are not of 
thistles nor grapes of thorns. It is quality, not quantity, 
that is worth considering, ijhe character of our present 
thoughts determine the nature of our future existence, 
and hence the supreme importance of selecting the good, 
the beautiful, and the true. J 



72 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


(2) The Quarries Available. 

In his course of instruction the mason is taught to 
seek the material for building his Temple from Revela¬ 
tion and Creation, Science and Art, and from human life, 
its dependence, its trials and sorrows, its uncertainty, its 
brevity, and its eternal consequences. Pre-eminently, the 
Scriptures are indicated as the best quarry from which 
he can draw material for this building. It does not, how¬ 
ever, limit the Scriptures to any particular book or books. 
They are the words of Divine wisdom formed by human 
thought. The ages sift the chaff of literature and leave 
the wheat. The truth survives because it is immortal. 
The word is of God. The gross body, the mortal, per¬ 
ishes and the spirit lives for ever. The Divine message, 
God-breathed through the souls of men, lies written in 
the Scriptures. They live through the centuries, because 
their work is not yet accomplished. As their mission is 
fulfilled, they will merge and disappear in a brighter reve¬ 
lation of the truth. For the present, however, they are 
our “great light.” 

The great advocate of Christianity said, “All Scripture 
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doc¬ 
trine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, 
throughly furnished unto all good works.” Now, 
masonry does not confine the words, “All Scripture,” to 
a certain collection of writings. Its evident teaching is 
that the inspiration or breathing of God through the 
human soul has not been confined to one form of re¬ 
ligion, to one race, or to one period in human history; and 
hence, the old Hebrew Scriptures, the modern Bible, the 
Koran, and the Vedas, may all lie on the altars of 
masonry according to the belief of the members of the 
lodge being that of Hebrew, Christian, Mohammedan, or 


THE QUARRIES 


73 


Hindu. Each may be conscientiously convinced that his 
revelation is the highest and to him it is so. God only 
knows the Truth absolutely. We know only condition¬ 
ally and must work to the part of the plan given to us. 

It holds that man must have some divine revelation— 
must seek for the light higher than human to guide and 
govern him. But it promulgates no hard and fast dogma 
on the subject. It does not make a lantern and pretend 
that it encloses all the light divine. It is essentially re¬ 
ligious, yet it is not dogmatic. Its bond of union is 
strong, but it gives the utmost freedom of conscience. 

It unites men, not on a creed bristling with dubious points, 
but on the broad, simple, grand Faith in God, as the 
Great Architect and Grand Master Builder of the Uni¬ 
verse, with Whom, and for Whom, men are to live and 
work. - 

The dogmatic creed, religious or political, that ignores 
the Law of Variation goes in the teeth of nature and 
hence becomes a hollow shell of dead bones. The t end-3 
ency of such is to frighten and boycott, if not to gag and 
imprison all who differ from it. With nature it is other¬ 
wise. It gives fair-play and freedom to every variation 
and hence the fittest prevail. The fittest always is that 
which is truest to the laws of existence. Nature fights 
for and with truth, and truth runs with nature. Every 
new interpretation of Creation, or of Revelation, has the 
right to be heard. The originator of every reform was 
an agitator. The despised heresy of to-day may be the 
orthodox doctrine of to-morrow. In Masonry we have 
a different standpoint and a broader view than that taken 
in the outer world generally. The atmosphere of the true 
lodge is free from the influence of creed or party, and 
the appreciation of ideas and of work is determined by 
how far they make firmer and broader the onward way 
of Humanity. 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


74 

^ In Masonry the Sacred Book lies open. There is no 
attempt at any interpretation of it. It lies open to signify 
that it is open to all and that each must interpret the 
^revelation for himself. On its pages lie the square and 
the compasses, with the aid of which we are to work out 
its plan of life. The square represents the perfect balance 
1 of things, material and moral—in the natural world called 
“poise” or “rest” and in the moral sphere called “jus¬ 
tice.” The compasses are the symbol of that which con¬ 
trols and guides energy or power, called in nature “Law” 
^ and in morals “Will.” 

The workman’s square gives to his work the perfect 
poise of the central forces in nature, and the faculty of 
conscience keeps man’s soul in harmony with the eternal 
justice that shapes and governs all things. 

The compasses give the wheel and lever control to the 
craftsman whereby he can direct, through obedience to 
law, the vast energies of nature. The “Will” if culti¬ 
vated and developed, through Faith and Obedience, gives 
the human soul the infinite resources of the Supreme 
Will. Obedience is the sceptre of infinite power. Just in 
proportion as we obey the law, or Supreme Will, can we 
command and direct its infinite energies. Yet this power 
is in us and not of us. It is through us and not by us. 
Wonderful and mysterious are the conditions under 
which we live. The Infinite and the Eternal One, the 
All-loving and All-mighty One works and drudges for 
us and places His power in our hands if we but be His 
obedient children. We think our engines and machines 
do our work. They are but the harness in which He 
works for us. Some of us attribute the results and prod¬ 
uct to what we call nature, trying by a play of words to 
escape from the frank and fair acknowledgment of God’s 
power and love. Nature is but dead matter shaped and 
moved by an infinite force. It is but the Veil moving 


THE QUARRIES 75 

and working with vibrations that come from the mysteri¬ 
ous Beyond; and, although we may fail to grasp the 
whence and the whither, the why and the wherefore of 
these movements, we can discern that they all somehow 
run to the right angle of eternal Justice and Love. 

The Scriptures, then, are to be interpreted and worked ^ 
into our lives with the aid of Conscience and Will. Our 
concepts are to be squared with the dictates of a free 
and clear conscience and circumscribed by a faithful and 
obedient will. We have access, also, to Creation, from 
which to draw constant supplies of material. Life and j 
Nature, Science and Art, as well as Literature—sacred 
and secular—are all quarries in which we are to seek and 
from which we are to obtain the material for the building 
of our Temple. The operative mason does not create the 
material he uses. The stone and timber have already 
been created. His work is to shape, hew and build the 
material to his plan. And so, also, is it with the specu¬ 
lative mason. From the mines of scientific research, from 
the forests of religious faith, from the quarries of art 
and literature, he obtains truths as material which he is 
to shape and fashion to the plan of the Temple. Science 
and Art are ever digging out from the heart of nature 
new facts. Religion is ever evolving fresh aspects of i 
eternal truth in the soul of man, and if masons are to 
be true to their mission, if they are to carry on the work 
of the Great Temple they must be ever ready to use these 
fresh discoveries. 

(3) The Process of Selection. 

Science has revealed to us something of the method of 
the building of life structures in the natural world. There 
is first the microscopic protoplasm containing within it 
the power which we call life. This develops cell after cell 


76 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


and these are united together until the perfect structure 
is built up. This process goes on, so long as the cells 
work true, or square, to what are called the laws of 
nature, or plan of the Great Architect. The moment there 
is sin against these laws, the work of true building ceases, 
and there is nothing left but a ruined mass of cells. 

In Art the method is that of selecting natural material 
and shaping it into certain forms to serve as units for 
the structure. These units, like the cells in natural life, 
have to be carefully prepared and fitted for their place. 
Analogous to that of nature and of art is the formation 
of our soul-structures. We must build. The process of 
thought never ceases, and we are- constantly selecting 
material and building it into our eternal habitations. 

Thoughts have their forms as real as the plants and 
animals of the natural creation. It is by these forms we 
differentiate one thought from another. They also have 
their character, good or bad, and each multiplies accord¬ 
ing to its kind. Evil thoughts propagate evil, and good 
brings forth good. The world of man’s mind must be 
peopled with thought-forms of some kind. Nature abhors 
a vacuum mentally, as well as physically. If you do not 
people your mind with angels, you will soon find it filled 
with devils. 

We cannot create thought, but we have the power to 
accept the good and reject the evil. That which we invite 
enters into our minds. We summon spirits, good or evil, 
and they come and dwell in us. 

Thoughts are evolved through, and not by, our minds. 
We are not creators. We are cultivators and builders. 
A man cannot choose his environment, although he may 
modify it. Without any will of his, he is born in the 
slum, or in the palace. An iron purpose girdles and re¬ 
stricts him. There is an untouchable horizon round every 
life. But, within these restrictions, he is conscious of re- 


THE QUARRIES 


77 


sponsibility. He feels that his eternal happiness depends 
on living true to his conscience. He feels he has the power 
of selection. Like the gardener, while he cannot create, 
he can cultivate. Like the mason, while he cannot make 
the material, he can choose it, shape it to his purpose, and 
build with it. 

But here the question arises, by what are we to deter¬ 
mine what is good and what is bad material? We all 
feel we have gone wrong and we all know we are not 
infallible. After making full allowance for heredity and 
environment, we are conscious of doing what we ought 
not to do and neglecting what we ought to do. How, 
then, shall we be able to know and to select good thought ? 
We see a beautiful flower or we hear a melodious sound 
and we feel pleasure in them. Why? No one can ex¬ 
plain, except somewhat in this way. The beauty of the 
flower and the melody of the sound accord with an inner- 
feeling, or sense, created and more or less developed in us. 
In the same plain but somewhat mysterious manner do 
we know what is good and what is evil. Absolute good 
or absolute evil is beyond us, but there is an inward 
monitor that constantly pronounces judgment on our 
thoughts and actions, and this is Conscience. The care¬ 
ful cultivation and preservation of this faculty is a duty 
of greater importance even than the development of the 
intellect. Too much prominence is given to the mental 
in Education now-a-days. We forget that the heart is 
of greater value than the head. Learning and even 
genius is not so important an asset to a community as 
character, and character is formed by conscience. The 
mariner must not only be guided by his compass, he 
must also preserve it from disturbing influences, if he 
is to reach his haven in safety. The mason must not only 
shape his work by the square, he must also keep his 
square true, if his building is to be strong and stable. 


78 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


So must we keep and preserve a true conscience. If our 
conscience is wrong, we will certainly go wrong, and the 
fact that we have gone wrong is often the certain proof 
that our conscience is not right. When we find ourselves 
going wrong, the important thing is not so much the 
going wrong as the putting of our conscience right. To 
do so, we must find something outside of ourselves by 
which to adjust it. The master proves the craftsman’s 
square by constructing a right angle, and the teaching 
of masonry is, that the right angle by which the con¬ 
science can be put right can only be formed by relying on 
the Great Centre. 

The maintenance of a true conscience, void of offence 
to God and man, lies in the desire and constant effort to 
keep it true. The whole experience of humanity is, if 
you earnestly seek for truth you shall find it, if you sin¬ 
cerely ask for good it shall be given unto you. There 
is, as Matthew Arnold puts it, “An infinite power, out¬ 
side of ourselves, making for righteousness.” This in¬ 
finite power will work with us so long as we are, also, 
making for righteousness. We are not the blind slaves 
of an inexorable destiny. We are capable of working 
through law and conquering through obedience. We are, 
it is true, fettered by our past. We are bound by habits 
of body and mind as by chains. Sometimes we sigh for 
freedom and pray for a miracle to be performed on our 
account. But we really are free if we but will it. By 
obedience, by self-denial, lies the road to victory and lib¬ 
erty. The demons within us—the creatures we have cher¬ 
ished and nourished—must be fought and wrestled with. 
We may fail and fall time and again, but if we fight on, 
sure as the sun overpowers the douds of night, so will 
we conquer. The walls of our prison are our own build¬ 
ing and we can hew our way out. The universe will work 


THE QUARRIES 


79 


with us if we desire truth and goodness. The absolute 
unerring exactitude of law—the “infinite power, outside 
of ourselves, making for righteousness’’ will become our 
hope, as well as our faith, and will ultimately perfect us. 

Thoughts are the parents of Deeds. The power of 
temptation lies in the evil within, more than in the cir¬ 
cumstance without. To the perfectly pure mind there is 
no temptation possible. We sometimes hear of a crime 
committed on the impulse of the moment. But, previous 
to the crime, the evil thought must have been entertained. 
Impulse is generated in the mind as electricity in a cloud. 
The cloud comes into the sphere of certain conditions and 
the flash and the crash follow. We cherish certain 
thoughts and thus generate forces as sure in their action 
as those we observe in nature. If we have impure de¬ 
sires, or malicious thoughts, these will, when opportunity 
comes, inevitably break out into evil deeds. The impulse 
may come like a flash of lightning, but it has been gen¬ 
erated by evil thoughts and desires. If noble thoughts 
and pure feelings had been cherished the crime would 
never have been committed. 

We are generally careful about our actions and too 
careless about our thoughts. Somehow we are apt to 
think there is no great harm done in fostering evil 
thoughts. The tiny tiger-cub seems so harmless, we think 
we can play with it and keep it in our house. But some 
day it will suddenly leap upon us and tear us to pieces. 
It is in the evil thought that sin really lies. Thought is 
the powder of action, circumstance is but the spark. 
Cherish noble thoughts and your life will be noble. De¬ 
sire to be good and good thoughts will come to you. Get 
the inner life right and there will be no fear of the outer 
going wrong. There is a deep philosophic truth in the 
oft-quoted lines of Burns:— 


80 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


“Nae treasures, nor pleasures, 

Could make us happy lang; 

The heart ay’s the part ay 
That makes us right or wrang.” 

If we cherish evil thoughts, these will go on developing 
and the soul will try in vain to build them into a lasting 
structure. They are not square to our conscience and 
hence are untrue to the Great Centre of All. All the in¬ 
genuity of man or devil will never make unsquare work 
stand. Sooner or later the soul that tries to do so will 
look upon the ruins of his life. It is Sisyphus perpetually 
rolling the stone but never reaching the top of the hill. 
Ruin, everlasting ruin, can only be the result of trying 
to build a habitation for the soul with evil thoughts. 

In the human soul, Conscience is the dominant factor 
in the creation of what we call character, and character 
is determined by the thoughts that occupy the mind. If 
the Conscience selects good thoughts a condition, or habit, 
that makes for goodness is created, and, if the selection 
is bad, an opposite tendency or habit is created. This 
habit of the mind in relation to thought is analogous to 
what we call environment in nature. Science tells us that 
in every form of life there is a persistent tendency to the 
recurrence of the type, and, at the same time, a constant 
effort to throw off variations of the type. The one is 
termed the Law of Heredity and the other the Law of 
Variation. If the environment is more favourable to 
the variation than to the original, it will flourish and the 
original will die. Thus goes on the process of progress, 
or evolution. It is the practice of the precept, “Prove all 
things; hold fast that which is good. ,, Nature is prodigal 
in her efforts to progress. New forms are put forth in 
abundance, but the fittest only survive. Everything is 
proven. Nothing is passed into the Great Temple of 
Nature that accords not with the plan and purpose of 


THE QUARRIES 


81 


Creation. That which accords not receives “the heave 
over amid the rubbish” The persistency of the Law of 
Heredity—holding fast to the proven type—represents 
the Conservative element in nature. The constancy of 
the Law of Variation in producing new forms represents 
the Progressive principle in nature. Both old and new 
are subjected to the trial of their environment and they 
must have the capacity of conforming to it if they are to 
exist. The result is the rejection of the unfit and the 
adoption of the fittest. Thus, the Law of Variation pre¬ 
vents retrogression, and the Law of Heredity conserves 
progression. 

In the human mind the forms of thought seem to be 
subject to the same, or similar, laws as those of Heredity 
and Variation in the natural world. Our thoughts propa¬ 
gate with the same tendency towards the recurrence of 
the type and towards the production of variations. It 
depends on the habit, or conditions, the environment, or 
character, of the mind as to what kind of forms will sur¬ 
vive. As we have remarked, Conscience determines this 
habit of thought. It is by it we judge what is good and 
bad, and, by the selection of the good and the rejection 
of the bad, create a habit favourable to good in which evil 
thoughts will decay and die. 

From the foregoing considerations we may safely con¬ 
clude that an environment making for righteousness and, 
by the natural process of selection, choosing good ma¬ 
terial for the building of our soul-structures, can only be 
formed in the heart and mind by cultivating and cherish- 
ing good thoughts. One of earth’s greatest teachers said, 
“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are hon¬ 
est, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are 
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are 
of good report . . . think on these things.” Yes, think 
on these things. This is the key to the whole problem 


82 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

of the selection of good material. Let us think only of 
what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and good; exclude 
all that is untrue, unjust, impure, and bad, and we will 
create a mental environment in which evil thought cannot 
live and thrive. We will be able to draw from every 
realm of nature and of art, of creation and revelation, 
good material for the building of the Ideal Temple in 
which our souls shall dwell for evermore, and we will 
find— 


‘Tongues in trees,- books in the running brooks, 
Sermons in stones and good in everything.” 


Chapter IV 


THE LODGE, OR THE PREPARATION OF THE 
MATERIAL 

In the lodge there are certain things which we cannot 
make the subject of public discussion. Fortunately these 
do not come, to any material extent, within the lines of 
our present observations. While masonry has its secrets, 
its symbols and principles, as a rule, are as open as the 
face of nature for contemplation and for free discussion, 
and within these we will find all we require for our pres¬ 
ent purpose. 

We propose considering the following aspects of “The 
Lodge,” viz.:— 

(1) The Nature of Its Work. 

(2) Its Relation to Religion. 

(3) Its Relation to the Outer World. 

(4) Its Ideal Plan. 

(5) Its Course of Instruction. 

(6) Its Chief End. 

(1) The Lodge—The Nature of Its Work. 

In the lodge there are two significant terms in common 
use. Money matters, election of office-bearers, laws and 
bye-laws and such like, are all called Business. The cere¬ 
monies of the degrees, etc., are named Work. The Work, 
or main function, of the lodge, consists of certain cere¬ 
monies symbolical in character and mainly, but not ex¬ 
clusively, based on the work of operative masonry. 

83 


84 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Operative and speculative masonry are related somewhat 
in the same way as the inanimate and the animate king¬ 
doms in the natural world. In both the substance is the 
same, and the one furnishes food for the other. So 
operative masonry furnishes food for the speculative. 
The one rises out of the other. The one is dead, the 
other is living. The one is practically constant, the other 
progressively changes. 

In ancient operative masonry the material for a build¬ 
ing, after being selected in the quarries, was taken to 
the lodge, or workshop. There, according to the plan, it 
was shaped and carved and made fit for a place in the 
building. In speculative masonry, the lodge exists for a 
purpose analogous to that. But there is this important 
difference—in the operative, the material was something 
outside of the craftsman; in the speculative, it is some¬ 
thing inside of him. He is both material and worker, 
and the lodge is the workshop in which he is to shape 
and square his thoughts to the plan of life laid down on 
the Divine Trestleboard. 

(2) The Lodge—Its Relation to Religion. 

At first sight it might be supposed that masonry claims 
to fill the function of religion and that it is, therefore, 
antagonistic to it. But it makes no such claim. It formu¬ 
lates no dogma, the acceptance or rejection of which en¬ 
sures eternal salvation, or the opposite. It simply de¬ 
mands three general principles of Faith, common to all 
religions. These are :— 

First .—That there exists an almighty creative power, 
infinite, eternal and beneficent, that rules all 
things and whom it designates—“The Great 
Architect/’ “The Grand Geometrician,” and 
“The Most High.” 


THE LODGE 


85 


Second .—That this Divine Architect, by Inspiration 
and Creation, has laid down His Plan of Life 
for our government and guidance. 

Third .—That the Human Soul is immortal. 

These three central truths of masonry are the founda¬ 
tion of all its teachings. That the Creator of All has 
revealed a plan of life is acknowledged by all religions. 
Masonry says each man must read that plan according to 
his conscience. He must choose his own religion. Then, 
and not till then, begins the work of masonry. The lodge 
exists as a place wherein masons of varied creeds and 
different religions may work in peace and harmony to the 
plan of life, but it does not pretend to declare, or to 
reveal, that plan. The Conscience of each man must 
determine that. It only determines and teaches the 
method and way of working to the plan that may he 
accepted. 

(3) The Lodge—Its Relation to the Outer World. 

As rudimentary organs in the early development of 
various animals indicate their future function in the 
world, so in the old Operative Lodges we perceive the 
rudiments of the present and future speculative system 
of masonry. The central motor-idea in the old Operative 
Lodge was the building of a sacred structure. Round that 
all its organisation was formed, and to that end its work 
was directed. In the same way, but symbolically, the 
motor-idea of the Speculative Lodge is the building of a 
sacred structure in accordance with the plan of life laid 
down by the Great Architect. Round this, as a centre, 
all the ceremonies and symbols of the lodge have been 
evolved. It is as the sun in the solar system. Without 
it, all is darkness and chaos. In the lodge the mason is 
taught how to work at the building, and the preparation 


86 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


necessary for this course of instruction begins with The 
Triple Renunciation. 

The symbols of the Outer World—the insignia of 
Rank, the sword of Power, and the purse of Wealth, are 
laid aside. This does not imply a retreat from the ordi¬ 
nary cares and duties of life. In the world but not of 
it, is the masonic idea. It means that rank, power, and 
wealth are no longer to have the first place in the desires 
of the heart, nor in the shaping of the life. Why is this 
Triple Renunciation demanded? Because it is impossible 
to carry on the true work of the lodge if the rank, power, 
and wealth of the outer world are acknowledged within 
it. On this point let there be no misunderstanding. Men 
of title, position, and wealth, if “born” into the lodge 
“of their own free-will and accord” and if “under the 
tongue of good report,” should be ever welcome, but not 
because of their position or wealth. Their acceptance 
must be based alone on their moral qualities as men. 
Their social position can only be viewed as giving them 
a better opportunity of being more useful and of doing 
more good. Rank, power, and wealth have essentially 
no affinity with the work of true Masonry. They belong 
to the material: it is of the moral world. 

With a knowledge of the present condition of many 
lodges in their minds, some may, perhaps, smile sar¬ 
castically at these remarks. But the ideal is never at¬ 
tained in any institution. Lodges, like churches, are often 
the opposite of what they should be, and many masons, 
like many Christians, are so only in name. 

(4) The Lodge—Its Ideal Plan. 

On the Trestleboard of the Apprentice there is a pecul¬ 
iar and interesting symbol known as the Plan of the Ideal 
Lodge. Unhappily, like many others, this symbol is much 


THE LODGE 


87 


misunderstood and is often unknown by members of the 
Craft. It may not, therefore, be unprofitable at present 
to consider it and its lessons. In the old categorical lec¬ 
tures it is referred to in a grotesque and, at first sight, 
nonsensical form, seemingly intended to repel those not 
earnestly seeking the truth. It is, however, full of sig¬ 
nificance and worthy of consideration. 

The lodge is said to be distinguished by its (a) Situa¬ 
tion, (b) Position, (c) Form, (d) Dimensions, (e) Sup¬ 
ports, (f) Covering, (g) Furniture, (h) Ornaments, (i) 
Lights, and (j) Jewels. 

(a) Its Situation includes the highest hill and the low¬ 
est valley, for the conditions of humanity embraced within 
the walls of the lodge are all unequal as the surface of 
the earth. It includes the high and the low, the rich and 
the poor; its light radiates round the palace of the prince 
and brightens the cottage of the peasant. The uneven¬ 
ness of the earth’s surface creates stream and river, loch 
and sea; and, in turn, the stream rushing down the rugged 
mountain, the river flowing through the verdant plain, 
the sea beating in ceaseless motion its confining shores, 
are all slowly but surely bringing hill and vale, land and 
sea to one common level. So, too, the very inequalities 
of human society create influences that make for equality 
and through every condition and rank in life there are 
forces and tendencies towards a common level of hu¬ 
manity. In the ideal lodge all the inequalities of human 
society disappear, the common level is reached and thus, 
here to-day, we realise to some extent— 

“That one far off divine event 
To which the whole creation moves.” 

(b) Its Position is due east and west, and its entrance 
is in the west. Our proper position is facing the source 
of Light. Our attitude is that of expectancy, of constant 


88 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


hope. The night of sorrow and fear, of frailty and fail¬ 
ure, lies behind us in the west. We are ever facing the 
everlasting to-morrow. Mourn not, therefore, over the 
past. It is dead and shall rise again either redeemed, 
purified, and glorified, or doubly damned, by the spirit of 
our lives now and henceforth. The past is no longer 
ours. It is of the finite. The infinite lies before us. Let 
us turn our faces, therefore, eastward, hopefully, man¬ 
fully, resolutely. The coming morn brings with it duties 
and opportunities. Every one has his work before him. 
Never mind the plan to which others have to work, and 
trouble not with vain questions as to why your plan differs 
from theirs. The Great Architect knows. Turn your 
face eastward towards the Light. 

(c) Its Form is a right-angled oblong in the propor¬ 
tion of three to four. Here we have the right angle of 
Truth and the proportions of harmony blended together 
as an emblem of the ideal lodge. Truth is harmony and 
hence we cannot have true harmony—however much of 
a lower common kind—unless it is formed on the right 
angle, and the right angle can only be formed by relying 
on the Great Centre of All. The form of the lodge stands 
for Truth—for the poise and peace and harmony that 
spring from being true. Here we are to adjust and build 
ourselves to the right angle, and in proportion as we do 
that so will jarring injustice and discordant strife fly 
from us. 

(d) Its Dimensions are from north to south and from 
east to west. In the outside world Love and Sympathy 
are often bounded by a peculiar creed, a geographical 
horizon, or a political platform, but in the ideal lodge 
we encircle the globe and surround the poles, we embrace 
the worthy of every clime, creed, and degree, our limits 
are the wide horizon of heaven and our bond of brother- 


THE LODGE 89 

hood, like a golden chain of peace, unites together every 
portion of the human race. 

(e) Its supports are the three great pillars of Wisdom, 
Strength, and Beauty. History reveals the folly and 
weakness of nations, of institutions and of individuals 
that have tried to build on pillars of selfishness, falsehood 
and strife. Ruin was their end and the evidence of their 
folly. The right use of knowledge is Wisdom, obedience 
to the higher law of our being is Strength, and the love 
of righteousness is Beauty. These are the pillars of the 
ideal lodge. These are the supports of the true life. 

(f) Its Covering is the cloudy canopy of Heaven, up 
to which there rises a ladder whose principal rounds are 
Faith, Hope, and Charity. These are the three graces 
that hold all the graces of the human soul together and 
form the means by which it may rise to the heights 
divine. Here, there is no roof between us and Heaven, 
to bar us from ascending, or to keep the heavenly in¬ 
fluences from descending. It is open to Heaven and open 
for Heaven. Aspiration and inspiration have here free 
play. Sense may limit us like walls, but to the soul that 
looks upwards there is no limitation. It may rise to the 
cloudy canopy and spread its wings in the ethereal realms 
of Truth. Time and space vanish. The walls of sense 
are surmounted. Every step shows a new and wider 
horizon. By constant effort up this ladder we can raise 
ourselves above ourselves and every to-morrow shall see 
us above the ourselves of to-day. 

(g) Its Furniture consists of a Trestleboard on which 
lie the Sacred Scriptures with the Square and Compasses. 
This does not mean that the lodge is furnished with 
nothing else. There may be many other good things, but 
these are not of prime importance and are as nothing 
compared with those. The essential thing in the lodge is 


90 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


a plan to which we must work and build our lives. The 
Plan of the Great Architect is the only Furniture worthy 
of notice. It is the one thing needful, and if we work to 
it all other needful things shall be added to it. No lodge 
can be opened without it, for how can we work without 
a plan? 

(h) Its Ornaments are the Mosaic Pavement and 
the Four Golden Tassels of Virtue. We walk on the 
chequered Pavement of human life. To-day, our feet 
tread the bright path of prosperity, to-morrow we are 
in the shadow of adversity. Through all, the blazing 
star of Wisdom will safely guide us if we faithfully 
shape our course by its light, trusting that Providence 
will surround us with everything needful, even as the Tes¬ 
sellated Border surrounds the Pavement, and conspicu¬ 
ously adorning our lives with the virtues of Temperance, 
Prudence, Fortitude, and Justice, as the Four Golden 
Tassels adorn the comers of the lodge. 

(i) Its Lights are three Windows: East, South, and 
West. These are placed in the east, south, and west 
walls in the direction of the sun that they may receive 
constantly his Light, thus teaching us constantly to keep 
the Windows of our souls towards the Light Divine. 

(j) Its Jewels are the Trestleboard, the Rough and 
Perfect Ashlars and the Square, Level, and Plumb. We 
look with sorrow and sometimes with despair at our 
rough and imperfect nature, but here, in the Perfect 
Ashlar, we behold the possibilities that lie even in the 
roughest block from the quarries of Humanity, when, in 
accordance with the plan laid down on the Divine Trestle- 
board, it is wrought into proper form with the aid of 
the Level of Humility, the Plumb-line of Rectitude, and 
the Square of Conscience. 


THE LODGE 


91 


(5) The Lodge—Its Course of Instruction. 

A different environment than that of the outer world 
is needed for the true work of masonry. Hence, at the 
threshold of the lodge, collateral with the Triple Renun¬ 
ciation, comes the Quintuple Declaration. 

In the old lectures these forms of Renunciation and 
Preparation were quaintly and neatly expressed by the 
words “off” and “on.” The latter is complete when, in 
the person of the initiate, Ignorance and Obedience, Sin¬ 
cerity, Fidelity and Humility are conspicuously and sym¬ 
bolically declared. He is taught to put “off” the Rank, 
Power, and Wealth of the outer world and to put “on” 
the symbols of his true condition—his Ignorance and 
Obedience, Sincerity, Fidelity, and Humility. These are 
the essential characteristics of good material for the build¬ 
ing. He makes no pretence to knowledge and he is obedi¬ 
ent that he may learn. Sincerity is the purity of the 
material, unblemished and unweakened by admixture with 
worthless and vile matter. Fidelity is the trueness of the 
reed, giving it soundness and adaptability for being 
worked into suitable shape and form. Humility is the 
closeness of the grain, the molecules clinging together 
and making it strong and durable. Confucius said, truly, 
“I do not see how a man without sincerity can be good 
for anything.” The same may also be said of one with¬ 
out fidelity and humility, for the man without fidelity 
will not carry out his undertakings, and the man without 
humility will never learn much that is worth knowing. 
Fidelity, like a strong Right Arm, carries out the pur¬ 
poses and desires of the Sincere Heart, and both are 
based on the Humility that bends the Knee to obtain 
strength from that higher Power, without Whose aid all 
our efforts are vain. 

Putting off the bondage of the outer world and putting 


92 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


on the emblems of the inner world, the initiate becomes 
a seeker of the Light. His Entrance is a new Birth. In 
ignorance and helplessness, yet in obedience, he pursues 
the path that leads to Light. Here Faith is demanded. 
Knowledge or Experience is not the beginning, but is the 
end of Faith. Groping in the dark mysteries of life and 
seeking for light, man feels his need of a greater power 
to overcome human weakness, and a higher light to en¬ 
lighten his understanding. Thus Faith precedes Knowl¬ 
edge, and Knowledge justifies Faith. 

But, the Light that reveals the path also reveals its 
Dangers . From the first moment of Life, Death is ever 
present. On either hand, at every step, it threatens him. 
In the terrible irresistible powers of nature that environ 
him, it ever bids him give Obedience to the laws of life. 
In the moral world, also, Dangers surround him and 
Conscience constantly calls him to faithful Obedience. 
Knowledge ever brings responsibility and the law, know¬ 
ingly broken, revenges itself. If the Cord of Conscience 
controls not our steps, the Sword of Law will inevitably 
pierce our hearts. 

In the lodge the Apprentice is directed for light to what 
are called “The Three Great and the Three Lesser 
Lights.” These are, briefly, Revelation and Creation. 
Through these man receives the light to guide him in his 
work as a mason, or builder of the Temple. Through 
them the Eternal Spirit communicates with the spirit of 
man. They are the atmospheric media which make it pos¬ 
sible for the human eye to see the light Divine—the un¬ 
broken glory of which it could not otherwise bear. 

Creation is a loving nurse to the mind of man. At 
every turn it invites his latent faculties into action. Its 
lights and waters, woods and flowers, birds and beasts, 
and thousandfold wonders arouse his curiosity and com¬ 
mand his attention. The necessities of his body for food, 


THE LODGE 


fuel, shelter and protection call forth and develop the 
energies of his mind. He wrests his food and fuel from 
land and water. When his necessities are supplied he 
develops desires for luxuries. He creates tools and in¬ 
vents machines to minister to his wants and pleasures. 
Through all this, his faculties develop and his knowledge 
increases. He finds out the secrets of chemistry. He 
commands the winds to drive him, even against them¬ 
selves. He harnesses giant steam, and makes the swift 
lightning his servant. He builds cities and navies, trav¬ 
erses the depth of the ocean and, at this moment, is 
pruning his wings for his flight amidst the clouds. With 
the telescope he searches the heavens, marks and meas¬ 
ures the courses of the stars and weighs those mighty 
orbs as in a balance. But the Apprentice is taught that 
all this development, knowledge, and power are of little 
value unless he uses them to build and adorn his higher 
nature, and not in merely gratifying his lower desires and 
passions. 

The Apprentice is also instructed in the lodge to clothe 
himself with the Symbol of innocence and purity, for 
innocence is a shield to virtue and purity disarms temp¬ 
tation. He is to adorn himself with the Attentive Ear, 
that gathers in the treasures of wisdom and experience; 
with the Silent Tongue, that preserves peace and com¬ 
mands respect; and with the Faithful Heart, that loves 
truth and lives true. As the operative uses his Gauge 
to measure his work according to the plan of the Archi¬ 
tect, so is he to measure his time to the respective duties 
of life, giving to each its due time and attention, so 
that his life may be built in harmony and beauty, accord¬ 
ing to the plan of the Great Architect. As the operative 
uses the Gavel to reduce the irregularities and rough 
edges of the stone, so is he to reduce the irregularities 
of pride, passion, and prejudice within his heart, so that 


94 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


he may become like unto a perfect ashlar, fit for a place 
in the Building. 

As Chalk in the hands of the Master freely marks on 
the trestleboard the impress of his plans; as Burning 
Charcoal melts the hardest metals with the fervency of 
its fire; and as Earth ever zealously brings to life and 
fruition the seed committed to its bosom; so is the Ap¬ 
prentice taught to Serve, working Freely to the great 
plan of the Divine Architect, burning with the fervency 
that overcomes all difficulties, and zealously producing 
from the seeds of Truth imparted to him, fruitful works 
of Love and Benevolence. 

He is further instructed to work true to the Three 
Grand Principles of Masonry — Love, Benevolence, and 
Truth. Just as the Operative must observe the physical 
laws that dominate matter, so must the Speculative mason 
conform to the great moral laws that govern his being, 
if his building is to be firm and enduring. 

Love is the life of goodness, virtue, and truth. With¬ 
out it earth would be without its sun. To love well is 
to be well loved. Where love exists there is Heaven and 
hate is Hell. Love triumphs over all differences. With¬ 
out it toleration, generosity, charity, and freedom itself 
would die. It is the sustainer of all that is noble and 
good in humanity. When we look on our neighbours 
and observe their faults and failings; when we feel hurt 
by their selfishness and injustice, we are apt, in turn, to 
be selfish and unjust towards them. An eye for an eye 
and a tooth for a tooth is the law of the selfish animal. 
It is only when we reflect that were the Great Judge of 
All so to try us, we would be condemned beyond hope. 
It is only when we consider our fellows in the light of 
the Love Divine that the bond of masonry becomes pos¬ 
sible, and from the living acknowledgment of the Father¬ 
hood of God, there springs into life the brotherhood of 


THE LODGE 


95 


man. How appropriate then that Love should be placed 
as the first principle of masonry. 

Benevolence is the practical expression of Love and 
intensifies the spirit that gives it birth. It soothes sorrow 
and suffering and brings joy to the miserable. It extends 
the hand of relief to afflicted humanity, gives help to the 
helpless and hope to the despairing. Its glory and 
honours are eternal, and they can be earned by all. 

Truth is infinite and divine. We cannot fathom its 
depths, nor measure its circumference. We can only see 
in part and believe in part. We see Truth only in sec¬ 
tions. But, if Truth itself be beyond our comprehension, 
this at least is within our power— we can be true. This 
is the only way to learn Truth. He who is false to his 
Conscience and the measure of Truth within his soul 
blinds himself. He cannot see the Truth because he is 
untrue. It is from the Love that seeks expression in 
good deeds, and the Benevolence that gives form to the 
Soul of Love, that we become true men and become 
capable of understanding Truth, and of rising into the 
Heaven of the Godlike and the True. 

Such are the leading lessons taught in the lodge to 
the Apprentice mason. But, Man is not satisfied with 
Faith and Belief only. As his powers mature he seeks 
the Light of Knowledge and Experience; so the matured 
Apprentice “passes” on to the degree of Craftsman. 

Here he is taught that as the operative, in building 
an upright structure, must obey the great Laws of Nature 
and work true to the Square, the Level, and the Plumb, 
so, in building his life into a strong stable structure, he 
must work true to the moral principles which these in¬ 
struments symbolise. He is to Square his actions in 
accordance with the dictates of his Conscience; to apply 
the Level of Humility to his heart and, not relying on 
his own strength, to build on the everlasting rock of 


96 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Truth; to constantly test his life-work by the Plumb-rule 
of uprightness so that, rising towards perfection and 
swerving not from the line of rectitude, it may be estab¬ 
lished in strength, and adorned with grace and beauty. 

In the Pavement of the Porch he sees, in its Mosaic- 
work, the variegated surface of the earth and the 
chequered pathway of human life; in its Tessellated 
Border, the sea surrounding the land and the Divine 
Providence that surrounds humanity; and in its Blazing 
Star, the light giving central Sun, and the Divine Wisdom 
that will direct man’s steps if he will open his eyes to 
its guiding rays. 

In the mystic Pillars of Strength and Stability he sees 
the Equinoxes of Nature—Spring and Autumn, and of 
Human Life—Youth and Age; and in their adornment 
of Net-work, Lily-work, and Pomegranate-work, he 
learns that the true secret of strength and stability in 
human life, as in nature, lies in Unity of plan, Purity of 
heart, and Fertility of mind. 

In the Winding Stair of Knowledge he finds a division 
of three, five, and seven steps, representing Mind, Matter, 
and Form, and is taught to regard Mind as the base of 
all creation in nature and in art; Matter, as the medium 
through which mind communicates with mind; and Form, 
as the expression, or manifestation, of Mind on Matter. 
He finds this stair has a dual aspect, Divine and Human. 
The Three Steps represent the Divine Wisdom, Power, 
and Goodness, and the Human Reason, Will, and Emo¬ 
tion. The Five Steps are the five natural conditions of 
Matter—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Ether; and the 
five human conditions of Sense—Feeling, Hearing, See¬ 
ing, Tasting, and Smelling. The Seven Steps are the 
manifestations of the Divine Mind in the seven Forms 
of Life—Lichen, Vegetable, Reptile, Fish, Fowl, Beast, 
and Man, and of the Human Mind in the seven liberal 


THE LODGE 


97 


Arts and Sciences—the Mathematical, Physical, and 
Moral Sciences, and the Arts of Rhetoric, Painting, 
Music, and Architecture. 

The great lesson he here learns is to use all Reason, 
Will, and Emotion, all Sense and Matter, all Art and 
Science, as Steps by which to rise upward into the Sanc¬ 
tuary of Truth; and, as he passes through the Veil and 
sees the Sacred Symbol of the Middle Chamber, he 
begins to understand that the end of all human endeavour 
is to reach to the Divine; that true Knowledge and Art 
ever lead up to Him; and that, behind the wondrous 
material veil of suns, stars, and systems, within the 
Middle Chamber of the Universe, the Infinite and Eternal 
One ever sits in the mystery and majesty of an awful 
silence—He, Whose name we cannot name, but of Whom 
we feebly try to express our conception in the silent, 
solemn, sacred symbol of the Middle Chamber. 

Pressing onward the Craftsman is “raised” to the 
Lodge of the Master. Man is not content with the Faith 
of the Apprentice, nor is he complete with the Knowledge 
of the Craftsman. His highest height is that of self- 
sacrifice, and in death only is the full circle of his life 
completed. Across the dark chasm of the grave he dimly 
discerns the Light of Immortality —the light that makes 
visible the darkness of things material. The Symbols of 
Mortality, in their solemn silence, speak to him with a 
power no eloquence can equal. They raise thoughts too 
high for human speech, they awaken feelings too deep 
for mortal voice, they propound a problem no science can 
solve, they conceal a secret which mortals all will know 
and none reveal. The brevity of life and the eternal 
issues that hang upon the right use of its powers and 
opportunities are in various ways presented to his mind. 
He is reminded that the immortal souls of men have not 
been born into this world to be slaves to sense, or drudges 


98 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


to appetite, but rather that through the experiences of 
toil and care, pain and pleasure, prosperity and adversity 
they may be developed into true Master-Builders and, in 
the strength of the God-breathed spirit within them— 

“Rise on stepping stones 

Of their dead selves to higher things.” 

(6) The Lodge—Its Chief End. 

The true mason lodge provides an environment for the 
development of the nobler nature of man, for the for¬ 
mation or building up of high character. Character is 
built of the thoughts which we allow to grow and mul¬ 
tiply within our minds. It is the soul’s habitation, built 
of thoughts and by thought, just as the crustacean builds 
his shell. To provide a suitable environment wherein 
this work may be carried on, the Lodge is isolated from 
all the ordinary conditions of life. The influences in 
human society that make for war and strife are ex¬ 
cluded. Sect and party, creed and politics, are forbidden. 
The lodge is not antagonistic to the world outside, but it 
must be kept separate and distinct from it—it must be 
“close tyled” so that a suitable sphere for the work of 
true building may be formed. This is the true Lodge 
of human brotherhood and it exists for the building of 
the Temple. It is the workshop wherein the souls of 
men may be shaped, moulded, and made fit for the Great 
Ideal Temple. 

This is the Chief End—the Alpha and the Omega— 
of a lodge. This, and not the petty prosperity of a 
Pounds-shillings-and-pence-balance, the tinsel eclat of a 
crowd of intrants, or the beggarly boast of a rank-and- 
title membership—this, mighty, wide embracing lodge of 
ennobled humanity is alone worthy of our devotion and 
of our labours. We can scarcely desire a more exalted 


THE LODGE 


99 


ideal: we should never be content with a lesser one. 
Everywhere around us to-day we hear the sound of dis¬ 
cord and strife. Abroad, blind passion and mad ambi¬ 
tion soak the earth with human blood, and fill the air 
with cries of agony. At our doors labour unrest, vice, 
crime, poverty, and disease are working havoc quite as 
great; and all the while, politicians quibble and quarrel 
over petty policies, scientists spend their time in fierce 
debate as to the constitution of an atom, and clerics waste 
their energies in bitter strife over the loaves and fishes. 
Where, we cry, is there neutral ground where all these 
conflicting elements may be hushed to peace, and where 
good men of all conditions, creeds and colour, may meet 
in the bonds of Brotherhood? There is only one spot 
on earth we know of that fulfils this condition and that 
is here, in the mason lodge. Here, all may meet to¬ 
gether on a common level as children of the One Great 
Father, members of the same human family, and brethren 
of the same mystic tie. 

Some may think this conception of the lodge exag¬ 
gerated, transcendental and altogether singular. This is 
not so. It has been the cherished ideal of the best of 
masons all over the globe, and the great German poet, 
Goethe, has most beautifully expressed it in his poem 
“The Mason Lodge,” as translated by Carlyle, with which 
this subject may now be appropriately concluded:— 

“The Mason’s ways are 
A type of Existence, 

And his persistence 
Is as the days are 
Of men in this world. 

The Future hides in it 
Gladness and sorrow; 

We press still thorow, 

Nought that abides in it 
Daunting us,—onward. 


100 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


And solemn before us, 
Veiled, the dark Portal, 
Goal of all mortal:— 

Stars silent rest o’er us, 
Graves under us silent! 

While earnest thou gazest, 
Comes boding of terror, 
Comes phantasm and error, 

Perplexes the bravest 
With doubt and misgiving. 

But heard are the Voices,— 
Heard are the Sages, 

The Worlds and the Ages: 

‘Choose well; your choice is 
Brief and yet endless:’ 

Here eyes do regard you, 

In Eternity’s stillness; 

Here is all fulness, 

Ye brave, to reward you; 
Work, and despair not.” 


Chapter V 


THE TEMPLE, OR THE CONSUMMATION OF 
THE MISSION 

(i) Retrospect and Prospect. 

Let us take a brief retrospective glance over the course 
of our enquiry into “The Mission of Masonry.” 

In the first chapter, the meaning of the words “Mis¬ 
sion” and “Masonry” were defined as the end and purpose 
of building. The Mission of Masonry was declared to 
be the building of an Ideal Temple, and that Mission was 
to be accomplished by working and living true to the 
square. 

The second chapter dealt with the Law of the Square 
in Nature, in material building, and in moral building; 
in the symbols of the Point within the Circle and of the 
Cross. We found that in Operative Building , working 
to the square is working true to the Earth’s centre of 
Gravity; that the instrument called the square is con¬ 
structed to guide the operative in so working, and is the 
visible representative of a great invisible Law, or Power, 
dominating all Matter. Further, that in Moral Build¬ 
ing working to the Square is living true to the Divine 
Centre; that the faculty called Conscience will guide us 
in so living, just as the square guides the operative in 
his work; that Conscience is the representative of a 
spiritual Law, as the square is of a natural Law; and 
that, if we live true to it, we will build our lives square 
to the Divine Centre of All. 

In the third chapter the selection of the Material for 
101 


102 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


the building of the Ideal Temple was considered. This 
material was indicated as Thought, which has to be 
selected, moulded, and shaped into proper form for the 
Building. The Quarries, from which to obtain suitable 
material, were mentioned as Scripture, Nature, Science, 
Art, and Literature. In the process of selection, Con¬ 
science was pointed out as predominant, and that the 
selection of good thoughts created in the mind a condi¬ 
tion or habit making for goodness, while the selection 
of bad thoughts established an opposite tendency; and, 
further, that the key of the problem of selecting good 
material lay in thinking only of what is true, honest, just, 
pure, lovely, and good; and in excluding all that is untrue, 
unjust, impure, and bad. 

In the fourth chapter we dealt with the Lodge, in the 
nature of its Work, its relation to Religion, its relation 
to the Outer World, its Ideal Plan, its course of Instruc¬ 
tion and its Chief End. We found that the true mason 
lodge provides an environment favourable to the devel¬ 
opment of the nobler nature, and the building up of high 
character, that it is carefully “tyled,” so that the war and 
strife of the outer world may not hinder and destroy its 
work of shaping and squaring and upbuilding human 
nature to the plan of the great Ideal Temple. 

In this, the fifth chapter, we come to view “The 
Temple, or the Consummation of the Mission.” 

We may, without presumption, assume that the idea 
of building a dwelling place for the Most High was in 
the human mind long before the art of building was able 
to materialise it in anything like a temple form. In the 
very beginnings of religion, in the first stirrings of the 
divine in the human heart, this idea was no doubt present. 
It became the motive to architecture and thereby to all 
the arts. The rough altars of Stonehenge and elsewhere 
still bear witness to its early power. In every age, pagan 


THE TEMPLE 


103 


and Christian alike, God’s house has been the evidence of 
religion and the sign of civilisation; and, doubtless, 
formed the bond of union in those fraternities, connected 
with the art of building, of which we have glimpses now 
and then in early history. The vast ruins of the ancient 
nations attest the power which this idea had over the 
mind of paganism. The innumerable cathedrals and 
abbeys of the Middle Ages, some of which still remain 
in strength almost unimpaired, and in beauty only mel¬ 
lowed by the finger of time, witness to its sway in the 
heart of Christianity. To-day, there is not a city, town, 
or village throughout the world where the tower, steeple, 
dome, or minaret does not proclaim the all pervading, 
and the all prevailing, desire in the heart of man, as ex¬ 
pressed by the Psalmist of old, “Surely I will not come 
into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my 
bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to 
mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the Lord, an 
habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob.” 

By the efforts made to realise this idea, the mind of 
man was developed and elevated. These efforts were at 
first made with things material. Now, they are evolving 
into spiritual forms. The idea is too grand and divine 
to be confined to things of sense; hence the ideal “house 
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” It becomes 
the vision that lifts the weary soul from utter despair to 
hope and joy. To many, this world is a wild battlefield 
for bread and breath. Round them the air is tainted and 
the light obscured. They feel as in the power of a vast 
whirlpool that drags them down to physical and moral 
destruction. Happy for them if, by faith, they behold 
the Eternal Temple as their ultimate and permanent 
abode. This gives solace to the wounded, strength to the 
feeble, hope to the miserable, and so inspires poor hu¬ 
manity that progress and happiness become possible. 


104 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


There are thus two Temples—the material and the 
spiritual—and we propose considering these, as they are 
presented to us in the teachings of masonry, viz.:—the 
Temple of King Solomon and the Ideal Temple. 

(2) The Temple of King Solomon . 

The Temple of King Solomon is the prototype of the 
Ideal, and the central object in Masonic tradition and 
symbolism. Comparatively it had but a short material 
existence, yet its impression on the minds of men has 
been greater than that of any other. Among Eastern 
tribes, to this day, it is spoken of with awe, and forms 
the subject of wonderful stories and innumerable songs. 
Its grandeur and mystery through the past ages have 
fascinated the imaginations of men. Even among mod¬ 
ern western nations it has been the theme and inspiration 
of a multitude of books. To the Hebrew race, scattered 
over the world, it is the cherished memory of a glory 
that is gone, and the confident hope of a glory to be 
restored. Exiled wanderers over the earth for many 
centuries, spurned and persecuted almost everywhere, 
they have yet maintained themselves as a peculiar people 
and, in the fact of this singular preservation, they not 
unreasonably ground their cherished hope of a restora¬ 
tion. Some day they will return to Jerusalem and rebuild 
the Temple on Mount Moriah. Once more its noble form 
shall crown those heights, and flash back in resplendent 
glory the beams of the rising sun. The praises of Zion 
shall again resound within, and the clouds of incense 
and sacrifice shall again rest over its sacred courts. It 
has formed the material of the wonderful visions of 
Ezekiel, and the gorgeous dreams of the seer of Patmos. 
It has been the theme of prophets and poets, and the study 
of philosophers and historians. But nowhere, perhaps, 


THE TEMPLE 


105 


has it occupied such a unique position as in the cere¬ 
monies and symbolism of masonry. Here its material 
grandeur is lost in the glory of its spiritual evolution. 
The vast wealth and labour lavished on it, and the rare 
genius and skill manifested in its construction, appear to 
have been expended for the special purpose of making 
it a fitting symbol and prototype of the great Ideal Temple 
of Human Brotherhood and Peace. 

Let us consider the Temple of King Solomon then as 
worthy of some attention and, as far as our limited in¬ 
formation extends, let us get some idea of it. The prin¬ 
cipal authorities regarding the design and construction of 
the Temple are the first book of Kings and the second 
book of Chronicles, in the Hebrew Scripture, and the 
writings of Josephus. The main points for our consid¬ 
eration are (a) The Situation, (b) The Courts, (c) The 
Pillars, (d) The House, and (e) The Distinguishing 
Feature. 

(a) The Situation .—The building of the Temple at 
Jerusalem was begun in the second month of the fourth 
year of the reign of King Solomon, being 480 years after 
the exodus from Egypt, and 1012 years b . c . It was fin¬ 
ished in the eighth month of the eleventh year of that 
reign, and was thus seven and a half years in building. 
It was situated on the brow of Mount Moriah, a rugged 
hill overlooking Jerusalem. This hill, from its nature and 
position, was probably a place of sacrifice from a very 
early period and would therefore be called a holy place. 
All scholars agree in thinking that the name “Moriah” 
contains the elements of the name of God. According 
to Hebrew tradition this was the spot where Abel offered 
his first sacrifice, and Noah his thank-offering. It is also 
supposed to be the place where Abraham went to offer 
his son Isaac as a sacrifice, and where the Lord appeared 
unto King David. Altogether, the place would be con- 


106 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


sidered sacred by Hebrew and Canaanite from the earliest 
times, and, to-day, it is regarded by Jew, Moslem, and 
Christian alike, as holy ground. 

This spot was chosen by King David himself as the 
site for the Temple. But, in the four years of his reign, 
King Solomon had extended and developed his kingdom 
in a most wonderful way. His riches seemed unbounded 
and his power and wisdom superhuman. Naturally under 
such circumstances the original plans of King David, 
great as no doubt they seemed to that monarch and his 
advisors, would become small and insignificant to the 
eye of the powerful, ambitious, and prosperous Solomon. 
The chosen site, therefore, became too small for the ex¬ 
tended ideas. But, while the King could enlarge his plans, 
he could not change the site. That had been clearly 
marked out by sacred associations and, also, by the ex¬ 
press instructions of David, the poet-King. There could 
be no changing of the site. There it was—a rugged hill, 
surrounded almost entirely by great sharp precipices. 
How would it be possible to build the great Temple there, 
when the space was scarcely more than half the area 
required ? It is a testimony to the resolute character and 
greatness of Solomon that this difficulty was met—not by 
reducing his plans, but by enlarging the site. Huge walls 
were built up in the valley, out from the precipices, and 
the intervening space was filled up with earth. The 
labour this involved must have been enormous, and can 
scarcely be estimated. It was not only done, but it was 
done so thoroughly that these walls still stand, a wonder 
to the best engineers of modern times. The hill was 
fortified by a three-fold wall, the lowest tier of which 
was, in some places, 300 cubits (450 feet) high. The 
size of the stones composing the walls was gigantic and 
Josephus mentions them as 40 cubits (60 feet) long. 

(b) The Courts .—In 1 Kings vi. 36, we read, “He 


THE TEMPLE 


107 


built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and 
a row of cedar beams. ,, In 2 Chronicles iv. 9, it is said, 
“He made the court of the priests, and the great court, 
and doors for the court.” According to Josephus (Antiq. 
viii. 3 and 9), the enclosure of hewn stones and cedar 
beams was three cubits (4J4 feet) high. 

Although there is room for difference of opinion, there 
is every probability that there were three courts. Next 
to the walls that surrounded the Temple, there was evi¬ 
dently a clear space outside of the great court, and this 
is not referred to in the particulars given in Kings and 
Chronicles, most likely because this space was not con¬ 
sidered holy ground, nor within the precincts of the 
Temple. In this space the profane might stand, and hence 
it may have come to be called the Court of the Gentiles. 
Probably there were thus—three courts—the Court of 
the Gentiles, the Court of the Children of Israel, and the 
Court of the Priests—terraced, one above the other on 
the slope of the hill. The meagre accounts we have do 
not furnish us with sufficient details on which to found 
a general description of these. But, from what we know 
of the other parts of the Temple, we may reasonably 
conclude that they were rich in material and beautiful in 
design. In the Court of the Priests stood the altars of 
burnt-offerings, the brazen sea and the ten brazen lavers. 

The altar of burnt-offerings was 20 cubits long, 20 
cubits broad, and 10 cubits high and was made of brass. 
There has been much discussion as to its construction and 
form. The Law of Moses forbids going up to the altar 
by steps (Exodus xx. 26) and the slope to it is described 
by Josephus as gentle. If it was so all round it would 
take up too great a space, and hence there have been many 
designs drawn so as to meet the difficulty. Perhaps, 
however, these are all wrong, for they assume, so far as 
we have observed, a flat even surface, whereas the Temple 


108 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


was built on the slope of the hill. The east, north and 
south sides of the altar, therefore, may have been io 
cubits (15 feet high) and on the west, or temple side, 
from which the priests no doubt would approach the 
altar, it may have had a gentle ascent. 

(c) The Pillars .—In the porch of the house, at the 
entrance, there were two great pillars of brass. These 
stood clear of the building, as ornaments or as symbols, 
or as both. The special names (Boaz and Jachin) given 
them imply a symbolic import, and, as the Temple was 
of that character, we may assume that they also were 
so. In their construction they would require wonderful 
skill and incalculable labour. We are told in the book of 
Kings (vii. 47) that Solomon left all the vessels un¬ 
weighed, because they were exceeding many; neither was 
the weight of the brass found out. It is not likely, even 
had there been any desire to weigh the pillars, that they 
could have been weighed. But, from their measurements, 
we can calculate their weight with a fair amount of 
accuracy. The dimensions of each pillar are equal to 
about 233 cubic feet of brass, the weight of which, I 
understand, would be 53 tons. Rating this at to-day’s 
price of brass the value of each pillar would be nearly 
£3,000. The cost, however, must have been very much 
more from their extraordinary dimensions. Indeed, the 
task of casting these pillars would be of such a stupen¬ 
dous character, that their production alone would give 
celebrity to any building with which they happened to 
be associated. 

The book of Kings describes the pillars thus: “For he 
cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece; 
and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them 
about. And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to 
set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one 


THE TEMPLE 


109 


chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other 
chapiter was five cubits: And nets of checker-work, and 
wreaths of chain-work, for the chapiters which were upon 
the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter and 
seven for the other chapiter. And he made the pillars, 
and two rows round about upon the one net-work, to 
cover the chapiters that were upon the top with pome¬ 
granates; and so did he for the other chapiter. And 
the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were 
of lily-work in the porch, four cubits. And the chapiters 
upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over 
against the belly which was by the net-work: and the 
pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about 
upon the other chapiter. And he set up the pillars in 
the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, 
and called the name thereof Jachin; and he set up the 
left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz. And upon 
the top of the pillars was lily-work: so was the work of 
the pillars finished.” 

The book of Chronicles describes the pillars thus: “Also 
he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five 
cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each 
of them was five cubits. And he made chains, as in the 
oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made 
an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 
And he reared up the pillars before the Temple, one on 
the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the 
name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of 
that on the left Boaz. . . . And Huram finished the work 
that he was to make for King Solomon for the house of 
God; To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the 
chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and 
the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapi¬ 
ters which were on the top of the pillars. And four hun- 


110 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


dred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of 
pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels 
of the chapiters which were upon the pillars/’ 

While these descriptions, like a lawyer’s document, are 
to all appearance very precise in detail, they are rather 
confusing and, particularly with regard to the height of 
the pillars, they seem conflicting. In Kings the height 
is given as 18 cubits, in Chronicles as 35 cubits. In the 
one case, however, it clearly says “18 cubits high apiece” 
and in the other —“two pillars of thirty and five cubits 
high.” The writer of Chronicles here gives the combined 
height of the two pillars and this is corroborated by the 
latter part of the sentence where he says, “and the chapi¬ 
ter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.” 
That this was the case will be seen if we take into account 
the disproportion of the height of 35 cubits to the circum¬ 
ference of 12 cubits to the size of the building generally, 
and, particularly, to that of the sanctuary which was 30 
cubits high, and to the symbolic import of the pillars as 
shown in their names—Jachin meaning Jah—Jehovah; 
Achin—to establish. Boaz meaning B—in and Oaz— 
strength. The height of 35 cubits to a diameter of 4 
cubits would give no idea of strength and stability, and 
there seems no other reasonable explanation of the 
difference in the two descriptions than that just men¬ 
tioned. But, as 17J4 and not 18 is the half of 35 how 
can we account for the missing half cubit? This, very 
likely, was taken up by the sockets necessary for joining 
the pillar to its base, and to its chapiter on the top. 
It seems to us that the writer of the Chronicles gives 
the size of the two pillars as they stand upright, and the 
writer of Kings gives that of each pillar, including the 
sockets, on the horizontal. In this view each pillar was 
sunk into its base, say a quarter of a cubit, and rose into 
its chapiter with another grip of a quarter cubit. It will 


THE TEMPLE 


111 


be seen that in Chronicles there is a word used which 
does not appear in Kings, viz., that of “pommel.” It 
reads, “to wit, the two pillars, and the pommels , and the 
chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars.” From 
this we would infer that there were three distinct things, 
viz., pillars, pommels, and chapiters. This is not contra¬ 
dictory to the description given in Kings for there we 
read that “the chapiters that were upon the top of the 
pillars were of lily-work in the porch, four cubits. And 
the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also 
above, over against the belly which was by the net-work ” 
Now, the chapiters were five cubits, and if four cubits 
were taken up with the lily-work it is evident, from the 
above, that the other cubit was what the writer of 
Chronicles calls the pommel, and was occupied with the 
net-work and pomegranate-work. In this reading of 
the description given we have before us a pillar some¬ 
what consistent with what we know to have existed in 
the time of King Solomon in Syria and Egypt. The 
monstrosities, representing these pillars, which meet the 
eye on the trestleboards of some lodges are anything but 
complimentary either to the genius and skill of Huram, 
or to the good taste and intelligence of the masters who 
tolerate such outrageous caricatures. Before leaving this 
rather fascinating topic, we would point out that the posi¬ 
tions of the two pillars are worthy of special note. Many 
writers in looking at the descriptions of the Temple have 
imagined that the right side meant the right hand of the 
spectator. This is a mistake that has led to not a few 
misconceptions; and, amongst others, the placing of the 
pillar Boaz on the south, and Jachin on the north side of 
the Temple. The description in one part (i Kings vi. 8) 
says “The door for the middle chamber was in the right 
side of the house,” and with reference to the pillars (i 
Kings vii. 21) “And he set up the right pillar, and called 


112 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


the name thereof Jachin, and he set up the left pillar, and 
called the name thereof Boaz.” Now, the writer here 
says regarding the door for the middle chamber that it 
was “in the right side of the house ” and we can scarcely 
imagine that a few verses further on, when writing of 
the pillars, he would mean anything else than the side of 
the house when he uses the words right and left. As 
the Temple faced the east, therefore, the right side of the 
house would be the south wall, and the left side, the north 
wall; and the pillar Boaz would stand in the north-east 
corner of the porch of the house, Jachin in the south-east 
corner, and the winding stair, leading to the middle cham¬ 
ber, would be on the south side of the house. 

(d) The House. —The Temple itself, or House, was 
built on the ridge of the hill above the courts on the west 
side, and was approached from the Court of the Priests 
by a flight of twelve steps. The book of Kings says it 
was 60 cubits long, 20 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high. 
The book of Chronicles has it, 60 cubits long, 20 cubits 
broad, and 120 cubits high. Josephus describes it as 
60 cubits long, 20 cubits broad, and 60 cubits high, and, 
above this, another stage of equal height. The differences 
here noted in the height arises evidently from the writer 
in the Book of Kings referring to the height of the Sanc¬ 
tuary, which was 30 cubits, while Chronicles and Jose¬ 
phus refer to the height of the porch. The building was 
divided into Porch, Sanctuary, and Holy of Holies. The 
Porch was the breadth of the house in length, viz., 20 
cubits, and was 10 cubits in breadth and 120 cubits high. 
The Sanctuary was 40 cubits long, 20 cubits broad, and 
30 cubits high, and the Holy of Holies was 20 cubits 
every way, being a perfect cube. The Sanctuary was 
surrounded by three stories of chambers or corridors, 
each 5 cubits high reaching to half the height of the Sanc¬ 
tuary, and leaving room for the lights or windows therein. 


THE TEMPLE 


113 


The lowest story of these corridors is described as 5 cubits 
broad, the second as 6 cubits, and the third as 7 cubits. 
This arose from the narrowed rests, or ledges, in the 
walls for the beams, as referred to in 1 Kings vi. 6. The 
walls were thus stepped and were 2 cubits less in thick¬ 
ness at the top than at the bottom. The opinion that 
these middle and upper chambers or corridors formed 
a gallery for the Sanctuary seems not at all inconsistent 
with the descriptions given and the general construction 
of the House. 

In the Sanctuary were the ten golden candlesticks and 
the altar of incense and also, probably, various utensils 
used in the sacrifices and worship at the Temple. At its 
entrance there hung a veil of many colours, said by Jose¬ 
phus to mystically represent the material creation. Its 
walls, doors, floors, and ceilings were all covered over 
with fine gold. 

The Holy of Holies occupied the west end of the build¬ 
ing and was separated from the Sanctuary by doors of 
olive, ornamented with coloured curtains. It contained 
only the Ark of the Covenant with the winged cherubim, 
and all its work was richly carved and covered with fine 
gold. It had no windows and was in utter darkness, 
which accords with the words of Solomon, “The Lord 
said that he would dwell in the thick darkness” (see 
1 Kings viii. 12, and 2 Chronicles vi. 1). 

(e) The Distinguishing Feature .—The Temple of 
King Solomon cannot be compared in size with many 
ancient temples, but, in the costly nature of its material 
and the skill that constructed and adorned it, in its 
unique situation and its sacred association, it was prob¬ 
ably the most wonderful structure that has ever been 
raised by the hand of man. From all other temples it 
had the contra-distinguishing feature of having its en¬ 
trance placed in the east. Other temples were earth-wise 


114 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


in their travel. Their entrance was in the west, and 
within them you travelled forward, like the earth, from 
west to east. But, in the Temple of the Most High, the 
travel is Heaven-wise, from east to west, for therein 
men do not assemble. It is sacred as Heaven, and 
mortals kneel and worship outside of it, in the courts of 
earth. It is the dwelling place, the House of Jehovah, 
and He moves with the sun, moon, and all the hosts of 
Heaven, from east to west, to shower down the beams 
of His glory, that life and joy may come to the sons of 
men. 

“The Lord is in His Holy Temple, let all the earth be 
silent before him.” 

(3) The Ideal Temple. 

Let us consider this part of our subject under the fol¬ 
lowing aspects:— 

(a) What is the Ideal Temple? 

(b) The Need for the Temple. 

(c) The Building of the Ideal Temple. 

(a) What is the Ideal Temple ?—The primary mean¬ 
ing of the word “Temple” is “a space cut off” or “marked 
cut.” In common modern use it means a building that 
has been, or is, dedicated for sacred purposes. It is often 
misused, and particularly by the Masonic fraternity. A 
vulgar and blatant spirit of ostentation has been pre¬ 
dominant recently here and elsewhere, particularly in the 
United States, so that every little bothy of a building is 
magnified and distinguished by the name of Temple and, 
consequently, the true meaning and significance of the 
word is apt to be lost. The degradation and corruption 
of language in this way should not only be deplored and 
condemned, but, wherever possible, sternly suppressed. A 
Temple is something separated from ordinary human life 


THE TEMPLE 


115 


—something sacred and divine. The shell of stone, 
however ably designed and beautified, does not make a 
Temple. It is the spirit that dwells in it. Now, the Ideal 
Temple is that wherein the Divine Spirit dwells. Like 
the Temple of King Solomon it is dedicated and conse¬ 
crated to The Most High, but it is not of stone and 
timber, however precious and however richly embellished; 
it is of substance more substantial, it is spiritual and more 
real; it is the human soul and is therefore immortal. The 
building of this Temple is at once the inspiration, the 
justification, and the consummation of masonry. It is 
the Alpha and the Omega, the foundation and the pin¬ 
nacle of all masonic organisation. The lodge only is, that 
the Temple may be. The ceremonies and symbols of the 
Craft are but the tools, appliances, and scaffolding for 
the building of the Great Ideal Temple. Any aim less 
than this would be a real degradation. There are many 
members who prate glibly about its social and benevolent 
aspects and who think its ideal is a convivial meeting and 
a charity-box, and the mass really know little, and think 
less, about it. There are a few, fortunately an increas¬ 
ing number, who have a conception, more or less clear, 
of the Ideal Temple as the chief end of all Masonic en¬ 
deavour. This Temple is the symbol of that Peace and 
Unity in human society attainable by the repression of 
the Brute, and the expression of the Divine in man. 

There are a number of writers who join with Maeter¬ 
linck in Praise of the Sword. They extol war and its 
results, and bless the exercise of brute force. The ar¬ 
bitrament of the duel is held to be a “right dearest to 
man’s instinct,” and the qualities of primitive man are 
put forward as the noblest virtues. All this seems to 
run right against nature. Primitive man was an animal, 
perhaps a cruel, cunning beast, and was but our begin¬ 
ning. The arguments put forward by those writers in 


116 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


favour of war and strife, would be equally valid for 
cannibalism. War and strife may call forth virtues but 
they do not create them. They are there, independent of 
war and in spite of it. Are we to praise the slum, with 
all its degrading sin and misery, because it calls into exer¬ 
cise the virtues of benevolence and self-sacrifice? Is sin 
to be worshipped because it has called forth the mercy of 
God to sinners? The course of natural evolution is ever 
towards higher qualities and, in the long run, Reason will 
prevail over brute Instinct; Justice and Mercy will sup¬ 
plant Selfishness, and Love will triumph over Hate. The 
Most High will make His dwelling place in man and, 
when the Temple of Human Brotherhood has been built, 
the Divine Incarnation shall be fully accomplished. The 
idea of uniting Humanity into a great structure, a Temple 
of Peace, is grand; the building of it into a dwelling place 
for The Most High, is sublime. 

(b) The Need for the Ideal Temple .—In human so¬ 
ciety the natural desire for the comforts and indepen¬ 
dence which wealth affords has been developed into a 
fierce feverish passion. “Make money” is the gospel 
preached and acted on too often in daily life. “Mind 
number one” is the favourite maxim. The result is, that 
wealth has become supreme and things have lost their 
moral perspective. State honours are often bought, and 
seldom earned. For many things, the qualification is not 
the fitness of the man, but the property he owns. Might 
and not Right is the dominant factor nearly everywhere. 
Virtue and truth receive scant courtesy in many circles, 
while Rank, Power, and Wealth are worshipped eagerly. 
The material law of supply and demand is paramount. 
The Golden Rule of the Square is ignored. Knavery, 
treachery, and vice ofttimes murder Honesty and Purity. 
Laws are heaped on laws, in the Statute Books, until in 
their intricate windings simple honesty gets lost and vile 


THE TEMPLE 


117 


cunning triumphs. Millions of men are kept grinding 
away their lives to make and maintain vast armaments, 
whose purpose is destruction and death. Yet, notwith¬ 
standing all this, the twentieth century is said to be the 
most practical, and also the greatest that has ever existed. 
“The glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was 
Rome” pale before its triumphs. As we trace the rise 
and fall of the civilisations of the past we say “ours will 
not so decline.” We proudly look at our wealth and 
productive power, at our steam and electric inventions, at 
our science, our literature, our universal education, and 
our world-wide commerce; and we can scarcely imagine 
that this vigorous, pulsating, bustling world has the seeds 
of decay in its system, and the doom of death hanging 
over it. Yet the signs of deadly disease are there. As 
from beneath some of earth’s fairest regions there is 
heard, from time to time, portentous sounds and, oc¬ 
casionally, a sudden shock shivers cities into ruin, so, 
now and again, are we startled with the evidence of de¬ 
structive forces underlying all the fair surface of modern 
society. Our civilisation is to a great extent veneer, for 
our power is applied to supply the lower, more than the 
higher part of human nature. Contrast a company of 
cultured men with a company of savages taking food. 
Mark how the cultured assist each other, and thereby pro¬ 
mote their common good and happiness; while on the 
other hand, the savages scramble, jostle, and wound each 
other, and destroy much of the desired object. Now, in 
regard to wealth, we are yet mere savages, and our civi¬ 
lisation is but skin deep. That point on which we so 
pride ourselves—in being practical—is, in reality, the 
greatest sham of the century. We are no more practical 
than savages scrambling round a dead buffalo. We do 
not pull together, but against each other, and thus there 
is an enormous waste. Look at our immense pauper roll, 


118 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


our innumerable poor-houses and prisons; our armies of 
soldiers, policemen, and judges; and you have the plain 
evidence of the fact that we scramble for wealth like sav¬ 
ages. Labour by sub-division has become intensely 
monotonous and all interest in the product has been killed 
in the mind of the workman. He has become dull and 
dormant and nature takes its revenge in a rush to the ex¬ 
citement of the music-hall, the picture-house, or the foot¬ 
ball match. The price of our wealth seems to be the 
physical, mental, and moral deterioration of a large pro¬ 
portion of the people. This so-called practical age 
panders so much to our lower nature, and so stints and 
starves the higher, that beneath our apparent order and 
prosperity we really have the elements of an earthquake. 
Bank failures and society frauds, labour unrest and 
strikes, outrages and assassinations, occasionally startle 
us; and the thousandfold crimes that fill the columns of 
our daily newspapers give constant evidence of the dan¬ 
gerous conditions that surround us. Notwithstanding 
our boasted civilisation the old savage ties of Instinct, 
Interest, and Force are those which still unite us. By 
Instinct we flock together, move in masses and coalesce 
into sects or parties. This union is consolidated and 
maintained by Interest and by Force. The interest to 
maintain a certain order of things rules the actions of 
all classes, and, although it is happily becoming more 
and more objectionable, Force is still used to main¬ 
tain, or to advance, those interests. Each nation, wher¬ 
ever it finds itself dominant, enforces its own selfish 
views, and it is too often the practice for monarchs and 
statesmen to subvert the interests of humanity for those 
of a dynasty, and to sacrifice Truth and Justice for what 
they call the Balance of Power. At present in human 
society there is moral chaos. The Law of the Square is 
not observed and there is no true bond of union. The 


THE TEMPLE 


119 


stones are held together accidentally. Square stones and 
boulders are heaped and thrown together indiscriminately. 
So long as self is served we are united, but the moment 
our interests clash, off we fly. 

Such is a view, we hope not an exaggerated view, of 
the present age. It is, no doubt, better than any of its 
predecessors on the whole, but every one will admit it is 
far from being what it might be. The Mission of 
Masonry is to substitute the insecure bonds of Instinct, 
Selfish Interest, and Force, by those of Reason, Justice, 
and Love. 

(c) The Building of the Ideal Temple .—To be strong 
and stable a building must have a good foundation. The 
higher the pinnacle desired, the deeper the foundation re¬ 
quired. As the Temple at Jerusalem was founded deep 
down on a rock, so must our Ideal Temple be founded. 
We cannot be lowly enough in our foundation. Strong 
character rests on deep humility. Haughtiness and self- 
righteousness are foundations of ice. Man cannot rest 
on his own power. How can weakness fortify itself with 
itself? The fulcrum of the lever, by which we can raise 
ourselves, must be outside of ourselves. The operative 
lays his foundation in firm reliance on the constancy of 
natural law, and experience and knowledge justify this 
reliance. So the foundations of our Temple have to be 
laid on the rock of Faith—Faith in a power greater than 
our own and able to ensure the ultimate triumph of 
Truth and Righteousness, The experience of the good 
and true in every age illustrates this Faith. Without it 
the toil and sacrifice necessary for building can neither 
be endured nor justified. Faith in spiritual law is as 
rational as that in natural law. In both spheres, the ulti¬ 
mate real power behind the law is the same, and the true 
test is experience. On Faith, all that is noble and heroic 
in human history has been based. 


120 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


This Foundation of Faith, laid deep down in our souls, 
is not a visible part of the building. But on it rises the 
walls of visible action. On it rests the strength of the 
uprightness that forms the beauty of the Temple. Faith 
is as necessary to uprightness of character as a founda¬ 
tion is for an upright wall. But in daily life our perspec¬ 
tive is sadly agley. We confound prominence with im¬ 
portance, and look on the plinth as being more important 
than the foundation. Small things are magnified by their 
nearness, and we blot out heaven and earth with our 
little finger. There have been nobler deeds done than 
those sung of by the bards. There have been greater 
heroes than those blazoned in history. Up on a moor¬ 
land, where the occasional cry of the wild partridge and 
the whistling of the wind are the only sounds that greet 
the ear, where hill on hill rise stately and solemn as a 
Hebrew Psalm, there are little cairns to which the few 
passers by add a stone. These mark the spots where 
humble unknown men, face to face with death or the 
abjuration oath, chose rather to die than violate their 
conscience. History names them not and our bustling 
world knows nought of them. Yet, how immeasurably 
greater are those than many whom, with tinsel show 
and blazing trumpet, the world applauds. Our news¬ 
papers devote long columns to a horse race, a football 
match, or a prize fight. Their reporters, like sleuth- 
hounds, rush over sea and land for details of a sordid 
crime or a vicious scandal, yet how rarely do they mark 
the self-sacrifice and heroism at their very doors. Yet 
these nameless ones know that they live not, nor sacrifice, 
in vain. They are building the Eternal Temple and every 
good deed is a stone everlasting. Newspaper notoriety 
is as the buzzing of a passing fly. There are records 
eternal as our souls. There is not a good thought, nor 
word, nor deed, but is registered on the imperishable tab- 


THE TEMPLE 


121 


lets of Heaven, and built into the eternal walls of the 
Temple. It is on this Faith in the invincibility and eter¬ 
nity of the good and true that a life of truth and upright¬ 
ness can be supported and sustained. Without it we can¬ 
not build, nor rise upwards. 

In Building Our Temple We Must Work to a Plan. 
Good material may be selected but, unless built to a plan, 
it is not useful. Good thoughts and feelings, unless put 
into ordered action, become paving stones for the road to 
Gehenna, and not Ashlars for the Temple in Zion. Well 
meaning, good men are not uncommon, but how seldom 
effective. Their minds are a heap of fine stones that re¬ 
quire to be built together to a plan, if they are to be of 
use either in this world or the next. Goodness has to be 
kept in line and arranged in symmetrical proportion to 
become righteousness. Dirt is matter out of place and 
virtue trespassing becomes vice. Like melodious notes, 
good thoughts have to be proportioned to become har¬ 
mony. As George Herbert wrote of the body, so of the 
Spirit:— 


“Man is all symmetry, 

Full of proportion, one limb to another 
And all to all the world besides: 

Each part may call the farthest brother, 

For head and foot have private amity, 

And both, with moons and tides.” 

Symmetry of soul is to be gained by looking to the 
Ideal Plan and earnestly trying to work to it. In doing 
this, the Almighty Force that makes for righteousness 
will work with you. If you will to do His will, sym¬ 
metry will be gained by the subjugation of every thought 
and impulse to the Ideal Plan. All our thoughts and de¬ 
sires, however good in themselves, must be subordinated 
by the Will and dedicated to the purpose of an ordered 


122 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Plan. Otherwise, our “ologies” and “activities” are apt 
to become our coffins. The scientist may get as much 
bottled-up as any of his specimens. The clergyman’s 
falsetto—his supposed religious tone—may develop a sore 
throat for his body and a swaddling-band for his soul. 
The merchant’s and banker’s eternal interest may get 
hide-bound in their ledgers. The politician’s soul may 
be lost in a programme, and a party platform may become 
the narrow horizon of his being. All thought and feel¬ 
ing must be subservient to the Ideal Plan. We must 
build our eternal habitation into some shape or other. Is 
it to be a prison or a Temple? Every thought and act 
is a stone and every stone is memorial. Our building 
thus becomes the real form of our souls. Which is the 
greater good, to build a St. Paul’s, or to build a life into 
an Ideal Temple? To accomplish this, our will must 
dominate. Order and discipline, self-control, and self- 
denial, are essential to good work. Every faculty, mem¬ 
ory, imagination, intellect, and emotion must be brought 
into obedience to the Master-Will of our being, and that 
must direct all to work out, in life and action, the Plan 
or Will of The Great Architect. 

It is in action we prove the genuineness of our faith. 
We prove the Law of the Square by building to the 
square, and we prove the freedom of our Will by choos¬ 
ing and determining to work in obedience to the Plan. 
The very pressure of hostile, or apparently hostile forces, 
we may turn to our purpose by obedience to the higher 
law; and, through that action realise that we really be¬ 
long to the higher plane of life. The sailor makes the 
adverse wind carry him to his haven. The builder uses 
gravitation—that inexorable tearer down of everything 
aspiring—to be his blind slave and the supporter of his 
work. As we triumph over wind, tide, and gravitation 
by working in obedience to higher laws, so do we triumph 


THE TEMPLE 


123 


over our lower nature by the exercise of our higher. 
Exercise means development. The process of building 
the Ideal Temple goes on by our Master-Will constantly 
calling on the higher powers of our being to active work. 

The work of building the Ideal Temple never ceases 
and is never completed. It is progressive, realising, yet 
never realised. Material things complete themselves on 
a Level circle. They have their beginning and their end¬ 
ing, birth and death, morning and evening, foundation 
and copestone. But the spiritual ever rises on a Plumb- 
spiral, never resting, ever aspiring and growing upwards 
into the infinite Heavens. As Coleridge said, “All things 
strive to ascend and ascend by their striving. ,, Emerson 
has said, “Nature is not fixed but fluid. Spirit alters, 
moulds, makes it. The immobility or bruteness of na¬ 
ture is the absence of spirit; to pure spirit, it is fluid, it is 
volatile, it is obedient. Every spirit builds itself a house, 
and beyond its house, a world; and beyond its world a 
heaven. Know then, that the world exists for you. For 
you is the phenomenon perfect. What we are, that only 
can we see. All that Adam had, all that Caesar could, 
you have and can do. Adam called his house, heaven 
and earth; Caesar called his house, Rome; you perhaps 
call yours a cobbler’s trade, a hundred acres of ploughed 
land; or a scholars’ garret. Yet line for line and point 
for point, your dominion is as great as theirs, though 
without fine names. Build, therefore, your own world. 
As fast as you conform your life to the pure idea in your 
mind, that will unfold its great proportions. A corre¬ 
spondent revolution in things will attend the influx of the 
spirit. As when the summer comes from the south, the 
snow-banks melt and the face of the earth becomes green 
before it, so shall the advancing spirit create its orna¬ 
ments along its path and carry with it the beauty it visits 
and the song which enchants it; it shall draw beautiful 


124 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


faces, warm hearts, wise discourse, and heroic acts, 
around its way, until evil is no more seen.” 

The process of building a great edifice consists in work¬ 
ing the rough rock into perfect ashlars and uniting or 
massing them together “on the square,” according to the 
plan of the architect. Each unit has to be prepared for 
a place and has to possess all the qualities necessary for 
its place. It is the aggregation of these units that makes 
the structure, and to make a perfect whole each unit must 
be complete and perfect as such. According to masonic 
tradition, at the Temple of Jerusalem each stone was 
tried, and none was passed on to the building unless it 
was sound and true to the plan. When passed, besides 
the marks of the individual craftsman and of juxtaposi¬ 
tion, it had, also, the mark of approval, without which it 
would not be received at the Temple. This latter mark 
was an Equilateral Triangle, held generally in the ancient 
east as the symbol of the Deity. It was only put on 
material that had been carefully inspected and found to 
be sound and according to the plan, and was therefore 
considered to be the Divine mark of approval. 

The Equilateral Triangle, with the jod or ray of light 
within it, was the unpronounceable name of God. In 
Scripture we find repeated references to the Temple con¬ 
nected with the Name of God. We find, “But unto the 
place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all 
your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habita¬ 
tion, etc.” (Deut. xii. 5). “If the place which the Lord 
thy God hath chosen to put his name there, etc.” (v. 21). 
“The city which the Lord did choose, out of all the tribes 
of Israel, to put his name there” (1 Kings xiv. 21). 
“God that hath caused his name to dwell there” (Ezra 
vi. 12). “He shall build an house for my name” (2 Sam¬ 
uel vii. 13). “The Lord spake unto David my father 
saying, Thy son whom I will set upon thy throne in thy 


THE TEMPLE 


125 


room, he shall build an house that my name” (i Kings 
v. 5). These and similar expressions you will find, again 
and again, in the Scripture references to the Temple. At 
its dedication King Solomon in his prayer said “That 
thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, 
even toward the place of which thou hast said: My name 
shall he there ” The masonic tradition is that the name 
of God was there in the middle chamber, in the symbol of 
the Equilateral Triangle; and also there, carved on every 
beam and stone that formed the Temple. 

The Ideal Temple of Humanity, like that of King Solo¬ 
mon, has to be built of stones true and tried and having 
the mark of Divine approval—that equilibrium of soul 
and conscience that results from being true to the Divine 
Centre of All. Society is based on individuality. It im¬ 
plies, like Harmony in Music, separate and distinct units, 
possessed of certain qualities, the blending together of 
which will constitute concord and happiness, or discord 
and strife. The stones in a building are arranged into 
such proportions and form by the architect that symmetry 
and beauty, or deformity and ugliness, result. In both 
cases, it is the master-mind that composes and designs. 
The very root of the words “unit” and “unite” is the 
same, and the one exists for the other. The universal 
law of all harmony and beauty is variety and diversity. 
There can be no harmony where every note is the same. 
There can be no beauty where every line runs alike. Na¬ 
ture has been ever busy drumming this truth into our ears 
and painting it before our eyes; yet here we are, in this 
enlightened twentieth century trying to force every 
human being into one cast-metal mould, and madly ham¬ 
mering every one who resists. In our schools and uni¬ 
versities, churches and societies, the prevalent idea is to 
shape men all after one pattern. Consequently our human 
products are miserably poor, and originality, as a happy 


126 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


factor in human thought, is not conspicuous. The Grand 
Architect, who has planned the Ideal Temple, has other 
notions. He wants infinite variety and diversity of stones 
to work out His Ideal. Many things to which we would 
give “the heave over” as the work of folly, many things 
which we would call sin, will be there made subservient 
to the glory, and blended into the beauty of His Eternal 
Temple. 

Prominently visible, in our ceremonies and symbols, 
is the truth that the improvement of the race is only 
possible through the perfecting of the individual. In 
this, masonry differs from most modern societies which 
look more to the social or political triumph of a special 
tenet than to the development of humanity. It teaches 
constantly self-effort and individual action. You are to 
produce work for the building, you are to climb up the 
stairs before you can receive your reward. The stones 
must be sound and square, that the building may be 
strong and enduring. At every step new duties are im¬ 
posed, and fresh calls made for exertion; all on the prin¬ 
ciple, implied when not expressed, that if the community 
is to be happy and prosperous, its units must be good 
and worthy. 

This teaching agrees with sound reason and the ex¬ 
perience of history. The evils of humanity are not to 
be cured by public parades, by social crusades, by royal 
mandates, nor by acts of parliament,—although all these, 
in many ways, may be both useful and necessary. We 
may plaster the land from end to end with statutes and 
edicts; we may plant police and law-courts at every door, 
but what do these avail when the cause of our misery 
lies within ourselves? It is more in the enlargement of 
our moral capacities as men, than in the widening of our 
privileges as citizens, precious as these undoubtedly are, 
that the remedy really lies. It is more in the limitation 


THE TEMPLE 


127 


than in the gratification of our desires, that our happiness 
can be best promoted, and permanently maintained. 

To fit and prepare ourselves as stones in the Ideal 
Temple, we have to forget ourselves in serving others. 
Paradoxical as it seems, we really cannot help ourselves 
except by helping our neighbour. In doing, we realise 
our being. We exist to do, and by doing we exist, physi¬ 
cally, mentally, and spiritually. In moulding, shaping, 
and building we obey the highest law of our being, and 
from this work spring growth and development. Thus, 
in building at the Temple, we build ourselves into a 
Temple, dedicated and consecrated by that work for ever¬ 
more. 

In operative masonry there is what is technically known 
as “the bond.” A stone is placed above the joint of every 
two stones, in the course below. It clasps and embraces 
them and holds them together. In its turn, it is clasped 
and embraced by others, and thus forms a bond of union 
and strength. But while the stones are thus placed, they 
can only influence each other by the central force of 
gravitation. Without this natural force they would fall 
away from each other, and it is only when true to this 
law that they form a true bond. And so, in the Ideal 
Temple, the bond of brotherhood in all its strength and 
stability, lies in each unit being true to the Great Centre 
of All; for the true love of Humanity must ever spring 
from the Love of God. In human society the union, here 
referred to, gives strength, not merely by numerical ad¬ 
dition, like sticks in a bundle, or like horses in a team, 
but because it creates a new force and awakens the moral 
elements in Humanity. The quality of creating an atmos¬ 
phere belongs to matter only when in mass. Human 
society also creates its own atmosphere. Isolated, man 
withers and droops. His efforts are feeble; his action 
is languid. In union, in companionship, in brotherhood, 


128 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


he develops and enlarges his being and his power. His 
heart kindles with enthusiasm, his mind brightens with 
thought, and progress and civilisation result. When 
alone— 


“Life is as tedious as a twice told tale 
Vexing the ear of a drowsy man.” 

In the union of brotherehood, he is radiant “as a bride¬ 
groom coming out of his chamber,” and rejoicing “as a 
strong man to run a race.” 

This power of sympathy, we are just discovering to 
be immense in nature. Pulsations at the rate of 500 a 
second can be stopped by material obstructions. But 
there are pulsations, at the rate of 250 millions a sec¬ 
ond, that are propagated through ether and, therefore, 
through all substances. This is the basis of wireless 
telegraphy, that pierces mountains and penetrates oceans. 
We are but beginning to understand this power, and in 
the future, no doubt, it will be greatly developed. And 
if this be true of sympathy in the material world, it is 
more so in the moral. We are more akin by spirit than 
by flesh, and in the building of the Ideal Temple the 
power of sympathy will manifest itself. Abroad, over 
the globe, the lovers of human brotherhood and peace 
are doubtless many, but they are not yet in touch with 
each other. The pulsations do not manifest themselves, 
because the instruments are not yet tuned to a common 
responsive key. It is not the want of a love of humanity, 
so much as the want of an understanding human sym¬ 
pathy, that hinders the work. Yet, gradually, as we 
work at our part of the great structure, we are becoming 
conscious that there are fellow workers here and else¬ 
where, and, through the dividing barriers of seas and 
mountains, of space and of time, we are beginning feebly 
to spell out far spoken messages of sympathy, to feel 


THE TEMPLE 


129 


that the Universe is really one harmonious whole, and 
that all things work together for truth and righteousness. 

We read that at the building of the Temple at Jeru¬ 
salem “there was neither hammer nor ax, nor any tool 
of iron heard in the house while it was building.” Like 
the silent Light, or still Gravitation, doing their mighty 
work through the Universe, so was the work of the 
Temple done. 

“No hammers fell nor ponderous axes rung, 

Like some tall palm the mystic fabric sprung.” 

The silent forces of the Universe are the greatest. The 
wild rage of the volcano may be more striking, but the 
calm power of gravitation is the most prevailing. It is 
not by the thunders of artillery nor the shock of battle; 
it is not by the wild lust for gold, nor by the land-hunger 
of the nations; it is not by trade, nor by parliaments, 
nor yet by schools and universities; it is by the silent, 
beneficent forces of Love and Light that the mighty work 
of man’s spiritual evolution can be accomplished. It is 
by these alone that the grand Plan of the Divine Archi¬ 
tect can be wrought out, and although at present, we see 
not the proportions of the building at which we work, 
some day the debris and the scaffolding will disappear, 
and the Temple of Human Brotherhood and Peace will 
stand revealed in all its vast grandeur and beauty—the 
Temple in which all the nations of the earth will dwell 
together in unity, then, 

“Shall all men’s good 
Be each man’s rule and universal peace 
Lie, like a shaft of light, across the land.” 






PART II: THE EVOLUTION OF 
SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


“The hand that rounded Peter’s Dome 
And groined the aisles of Christian Rome, 
Wrought in a sad sincerity; 

Himself from God he could not free: 

He builded better than he knew— 

The conscious stone to beauty grew. 

These Temples grew as grows the grass. 

Art might obey, but not surpass— 

The passive Master lent his hand 
To the vast Soul that o’er him planned.” 

— Emerson. 

“Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul! 

As the swift seasons roll 
Leave thy low vaulted past: 

Let each new temple, nobler than the last 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, 

Till thou at length art free 

Leaving thine out-grown shell by life’s unresting sea.” 

•— O. W. Holmes . 


PART II: THE EVOLUTION OF 
SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Chapter I 

ORIGINS ASCRIBED TO MASONRY 

(i) The Historical Difficulties. 

In no branch of history is care and judgment more need¬ 
ful than in that of masonry. Nowhere else will you find 
such a collection of mendacious tales, such outrages on 
truth and common sense, as in the so-called histories of 
Anderson, Preston, Oliver, Laurie, and some other 
writers. These publications have created contempt in 
the minds of non-mason critics, not only for the authors 
but also for masonry itself, and, no doubt, this is the 
reason why historians generally neglect the masonic field. 
Within the Order, unfortunately, these histories, until 
recently, were accepted as real by the bulk of its mem¬ 
bers. The bald and bold assertions and unverified claims 
that crowd their pages were received as gospel; and, as 
usual with such unreasoned beliefs, they developed fanati¬ 
cal bigotry. To cast a doubt on their absolute truthful¬ 
ness was anathema. This blind credulity created a natu¬ 
ral reaction of scepticism and unbelief in the minds of 
many intelligent members. The beautiful symbolism and 
noble principles of masonry were dragged into the gutter 
by these false historic pretensions, and its ceremonies were 
made to appear as a sham and make-believe comedy. 

But in recent years a new school of masonic historians 
has arisen. Hughan, Murray-Lyon, Gould, Woodford, 
133 


134 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


and others, in Britain; Findel and Fallow, in Germany; 
and Fort and Mackey, in America, have placed masonic 
history on a sounder basis. Years of patient labour have 
been spent by these writers in discovering and decipher¬ 
ing old records and manuscripts belonging to, or referring 
to, the Order; and, although the field in many directions 
still remains unexplored and unmapped, a permanent 
roadway for a considerable distance has been well made, 
and on this the future student will, no doubt, proceed 
with confidence, and use, as a base, for further explora¬ 
tion. 


(2) Some of the Theories Advanced. 

Many origins have been ascribed to masonry, from the 
Devil to the Druids, and its name has been said to have 
been derived from almost every language on the globe. 
In India the mason-hall, or lodge, is known as the 
“Shaitan Bungalow”—the Devil’s house,—which agrees 
exactly with the belief common, not many years ago, in 
this country. The “old black one” was supposed to be 
present at every mason meeting and a story is told that 
not many years ago, in the parish of Carsphairn, in 
Galloway, an old woman interviewed the master of the 
lodge there one evening as follows:—“The masons are 
met the nicht?” “Aye.” “Weel, ye ken my wab was 
stolen last week?” “Aye, Janet; but what business has 
that wi’ the mason meetin’ ?” “Oh, ye ken ye’ll be raisin’ 
the deil, and I wad jist like ye to ask him, sin’ he’s here 
at onyrate, wha stole the wab?” “Oh, aye, Janet! jist 
you gang awa’, and we’ll see what we can dae.” Next 
day, when Janet called upon the master, he told her that 
“the deil” had not exactly communicated the name of the 
thief, but he had mentioned that if the “wab” was not 
returned “before Thursday next” the house of the guilty 


ORIGINS ASCRIBED TO MASONRY 135 

person would fall upon him in the night-time, and the 
whole family would be killed. This, he said, was a great 
secret, and he strictly forbade her communicating it to 
more than one person. The secret was speedily imparted 
to Janet’s next-door neighbour, with many injunctions 
not to let it go any further. As a matter of course, it 
was known to the whole parish before night. On the 
third morning thereafter Janet’s wab was found lying at 
her door, with a part, which had been cut off, attached 
to the main body with pins. 

The Druid theory at one time received considerable 
support, but, although much has been written on the sub¬ 
ject, there is nothing that we have seen of a convincing, 
and little of a satisfactory, character. That the Druids 
were more than a mere savage priesthood is evident from 
the impression they made on the Romans. Their cere¬ 
monies had in them much that resembled the Ancient 
Mysteries, and in this, Druidism resembles Freemasonry; 
but that there was the slightest direct connection, or that 
the one is a survival of the other, we have not yet seen 
a single proof, or a reasonable inference. 

In the Gypsies, according to some writers, we see the 
progenitors of our Craft. One author says, “Let the 
Freemasons, if they please, call Hiram, King of Tyre, an 
Architect, and tell each other in bad rhymes that they are 
the descendants of those who constructed the Temple of 
Solomon. To me, however, the opinion which seems de¬ 
cisive is, that the sect has penetrated into Europe by 
means of the Gypsies.” This opinion common sense can¬ 
not well accept. The Gypsies are distinguished by blood, 
language, and nomadic habits. The masons have none of 
these. On the contrary they are cosmopolitan; and the 
idea of builders and the art of building, being associated 
with the Gypsies, who refuse to live in houses, seems 
somewhat absurd. The Gypsies may have signs and 


136 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


tokens peculiar to themselves, but in this only do they 
resemble masons. In all other respects, they are not only 
different but in many ways antagonistic. 

The learned German, Lessing, was of opinion that 
Freemasonry had its origin in the Secret Association of 
Templars which, it is said, for a lengthened period, 
existed in London; and that Sir Christopher Wren shaped 
it into its present form. This theory had many sup¬ 
porters, foremost among whom was the Abbe Barruel, 
whose work on the subject was admired and commended 
by the celebrated statesman, Edmund Burke. The dis¬ 
tinguished Dr. Armstrong also advocated the view of a 
Templar origin. These were called the Knighthood of 
the Temple of Solomon. The Hospitallers of St. John 
became the successors of the Templars and from those, 
it is said, sprang the Order of Freemasons. But, except 
in having the same patron-saint and having a reference 
to the Temple of King Solomon, there does not appear 
to be any clear connection. The organisation, methods, 
aims, and doctrines of the one are entirely different from 
the other. 

The theory that the Rosicrucians were the originators 
of Freemasonry has been advanced with considerable 
ingenuity by Professor Buhle in Germany, and that sin¬ 
gular genius and able writer, De Quincey, gave it in this 
country greater prominence than it deserved. He tried 
to prove that Freemasonry sprang from the Rosicrucians 
through the influence of Robert Fludd and his writings. 
This influence, he assumes, caused Ashmole, the antiqua¬ 
rian; “Thomas Wharton, a physician; George Wharton 
Oughtred, the mathematician; Dr. Hewitt, Dr. Pearson, 
the divines; and William Lilly, the principal astrologer 
of the day,” at a meeting “held in Mason’s Hall, Mason’s 
Alley, Basinghall Street, London, in the year 1646” to 
constitute “the first formal and solemn lodge of Free- 


ORIGINS ASCRIBED TO MASONRY 


137 


masons.” 1 As to these persons being Rosicrucians, how¬ 
ever, or that this meeting was different in any way from 
the meeting at Warrington at which, in his diary, Ash- 
mole distinctly states he was made a Freemason, there 
is absolutely no proof given. The whole thing is a sur¬ 
mise and is not even a reasonable inference. While the 
Rosicrucians had some points of resemblance to Free¬ 
masonry, these were more accidental than essential in 
character. The search for the philosopher's stone and 
the elixir of life, with certain religious and humanitarian 
doctrines, were the professed motives in their organisa¬ 
tion, and there appears to have been no similarity in their 
ceremonies, or general symbolism. Of course, these re¬ 
marks apply to the Rosicrucians of the sixteenth and 
seventeenth centuries. The body under that name, of 
recent formation, and who meet in a semi-masonic way, 
can have no historical pretensions. 

Some writers have proclaimed the Essenes as the 
founders of Masonry in the early part of the Christian 
era. Of this mysterious Jewish sect, whose disappear¬ 
ance has never yet been satisfactorily explained, it is 
difficult to say anything of a positive character. 2 The 
chief witness regarding their existence is the famous Jew¬ 
ish writer, Josephus, and his testimony is both prejudiced 
and contradictory. The main points known about them 
are: they were celibates, abstained from oaths, like the 
modern Quakers; had a great veneration for the inspired 
Book of the Law, lived apart from other men, like monks, 
and their chief aim was to become Temples of the Holy 
Ghost. There is not the slightest proof, visible to us, 
connecting them historically with the Order of Free and 

1 De Quincey’s Works, vol. xvi., p. 412. 

2 The Rev. A. C. Arnold in his “History of Freemasonry” says they 
were “the faithful depositories of the ancient Cabirian rite” (p. 27), 
but on what grounds he makes the statement he does not give any 
indication. 


138 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Accepted Masons. Indeed, the chief points known re¬ 
garding them are contrary to the characteristics of Free¬ 
masons. They were celibates, Freemasons are not so. 
They lived apart from other men, Freemasons mingle 
freely in all classes and conditions of ordinary life. So 
far as we know, they had no connection with the art of 
building, while Freemasons have had, until modern times, 
a close connection with operative work. 

(3) Its Evolution Most Likely Along the Lines of 
Operative Building. 

Laying aside these theories, let us turn our attention 
to those associations in connection with operative masonry 
whose organisations are more or less recorded in history. 
It will be readily admitted that the Evolution of Specu¬ 
lative Masonry is most fikely to be traced along the lines 
of operative building, and that the process would extend 
for a considerable period prior to the establishment of 
the Grand Lodge of England, in 1717. The view we 
wish to consider is, that down through the Roman Col¬ 
legia and the Medieval Craft Guilds, along with certain 
traditions, there was probably transmitted some of the 
symbolism of the Ancient Mysteries; and that the great 
quickening of intellectual life in the sixteenth century, 
resulting from the social and political upheaval of the 
Reformation, gave new life and a more developed form 
to the symbolic speculative element within the old Craft 
Lodges. The mental activities of man had so long been 
“cribbed, cabined, and confined” under ecclesiastical rule 
that, having burst its bonds, it fairly revelled and rioted 
in all sorts of ways. Hence we find Cabalism, Theosophy, 
Alchemy, and Astrology receiving an attention and sup¬ 
port from the learned scholars of the age, that, to us, 
seems to border on insanity. This “mania” as De Quin- 


ORIGINS ASCRIBED TO MASONRY 


139 


cey calls it, “infected all classes—high and low, learned 
and unlearned.” The spirit of enquiry was rampant 
and, ill-directed as it was in many respects, it had on 
the whole a wonderfully stimulating effect. Science, in 
all its branches, expanded and developed; Literature, Art, 
and social and political life, acquired fresh vigour. It is 
from this period we can mark the presence of the specu¬ 
lative element in the old Craft Lodges. Our view is, that 
the seed of our present Speculative System, lying latent 
in these old lodges, was quickened into life through the 
influence of the Reformation period, and, later on, in 
1717, developed into the present organised form. It is 
not at all unlikely that the general influence of the period, 
and the publications regarding the Rosicrucians, affected 
the minds of members of the Craft like Ashmole. A 
unique symbolism lay ready at their hands in the tradi¬ 
tions and emblems of the Mason Lodge. Under these 
circumstances, would it not seem stranger if they had 
neglected it, than that they should have paid attention to 
it and developed it, and thus give greater prominence to 
the speculative aspect of the Craft, than it had previously 
obtained? Every new period, such as that of the Refor¬ 
mation, produces new conditions. Man, in his onward 
evolution, adapts himself to these, and fresh forms of 
mental and moral life spring into being. It seems to us 
impossible to conceive the masonic fraternity as unin¬ 
fluenced by the Reformation, and I believe that the 
process of the Evolution of Speculative Masonry was 
then begun, and continued until it culminated in the birth 
and establishment of the present organisation in 1717. 


Chapter II 

ANCIENT SYMBOLISM AND MYSTERIES 

(i) Antiquity of Masonic Symbolism. 

One of the oldest Chinese classics—a famous work called 
“The Great Learning,” said to have been written, at least, 
500 years b.c., contains the following passage : “A man 
should abstain from doing unto others what he would 
not they should do unto him,” and this is called “the 
principle of acting on the Square In the writings of 
Mencius (about 280 b.c.) we find it taught “that men 
should apply the Square and Compasses figuratively to 
their lives, and the Level and the Marking Line besides, 
if they would walk in the straight and even paths of 
wisdom and keep themselves within the boundaries of 
Honour and Virtue.” In book VI. of his Philosophy, 
he says, “A Master Mason in teaching his apprentice 
makes use of the Compasses and Square; ye who are 
engaged in the pursuit of Wisdom, must also make use of 
the Compasses and Square.” 1 

In the Hebrew Scriptures we find, again and again, 
masonic symbolism employed. Solomon, in his Proverbs, 
says, “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn 
out her seven pillars.” “The righteous is an everlasting 
foundation.” In the Psalms, we read, “I will build up 
thy throne” and “build up thy throne to all genera¬ 
tions.” “The stone which the builders refused hath be¬ 
come the head stone,” and in other parts, such as Isaiah 
and Jeremiah, it is written, “I shall speak concerning a 

1 Gould’s History, vol. i., p. 23. 

140 


ANCIENT SYMBOLISM AND MYSTERIES 141 


nation and concerning a kingdom to build it.” “If ye 
will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and 
not pull you down.” “I will lay righteousness to the 
plummet.” “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a 
stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foun¬ 
dation.” “I look unto the rock from whence ye are 
hewn.” Amos says, “Behold the Lord stood upon a wall 
made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand.” 
“Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people 
Israel.” “It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven.” 
The writers of the New Testament, also, make use of the 
same symbolism. Paul, to the Corinthians, says, “As a 
wise master builder, I have laid the foundation.” “We 
have a building of God, an house not made with hands, 
eternal in the heavens.” Peter, also, in his first Epistle, 
says, “Ye, also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual 
house,” and so on, through the whole of the Old and New 
Testaments, you will find masonic terms used as symbols. 
In all kinds of secular and sacred writings, the work and 
terms of operative masonry have been utilised extensively 
as symbols to illustrate moral truths. This is quite natu¬ 
ral to expect, when we reflect that, for many centuries, 
the art of building seems to have absorbed all the energy 
and inventive genius of mankind. Round it was devel¬ 
oped art and science, and every discovery in mathematics, 
mechanics, and even astronomy, seems to have been 
utilised in connection with those v^st structures, the ruins 
of which fill us, to-day, with wonder and astonishment. 
And just for this very reason, the traditions of our Order, 
exaggerated and incorrect as they evidently are in detail, 
may have a substratum of truth; and the builders of those 
ancient structures may have had a system of symbolic 
moral instruction, as well as instruction in their opera¬ 
tive work. Is it at all likely that the men employed in 
building such sacred temples had no mental and moral 


142 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


instruction? Is it not natural, under the circumstances 
of the period when these were built, that the builders 
were set apart, for their work, as well as the priesthood ? 
In the building of the Tabernacle by Moses in the wilder¬ 
ness, Bezaleel and Aholiab were, it is said, called by the 
Lord for the work, and it is recorded “Then wrought 
Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in 
whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know 
how to work all manner of work for the service of 
the sanctuary” (Exodus xxxvi. i). In the same way, we 
find that when the Temple at Jerusalem was about to be 
built, among the last acts of David was the appointing 
of men for the work. We read, “And he gathered to¬ 
gether all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the 
Levites. Now the Levites were numbered from the age 
of thirty years and upward: and their number by their 
polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. Of 
which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the 
work of the house of the Lord” (i Chronicles xxiii. 2-4). 
We may safely assume that the Israelites adopted the 
method common to the period, that the builders of the 
ancient temples were trained men, and that their training 
was not only in the operative work, but, also, in some 
course of mental and moral instruction to fit them for 
their work. 


( 2 ) The Ancient Mysteries. 

The Ancient Mysteries, so intimately connected with 
the ancient temples, consisted of certain rites, or cere¬ 
monies, to take part in which initiation and probation 
were necessary. In all these Mysteries the prominent fea¬ 
tures were those of sacrifice, death and a new life. Those 
of Isis and Osiris originated in Egypt, and were intro¬ 
duced into Greece about 1400 years b.c. There they were 


ANCIENT SYMBOLISM AND MYSTERIES 143 


known under several names, Orphic, Bacchic, Eleusinian, 
etc. The Eleusinian are said to have been “‘a great system 
at once mystical, philosophical, and ethical.” These were 
divided into two groups—the Lesser and the Greater. 
Those initiated into the Lesser were called Mystae, who, 
after taking an oath to secrecy received instruction to 
enable them to understand the mysteries of the Greater. 
The Greater occupied nine days in celebration and, on the 
sixth day, the Mystae who had served twelve months’ 
probation were advanced and raised into the Greater mys¬ 
teries. An oath of secrecy was taken and holy mysteries 
were read out of a book called “Petroma” because it 
consisted of two stones closely joined together. Certain 
questions were put and answered in a set form. They 
were led through darkness into light, and were allowed 
to see what none but those thus admitted ever beheld. A 
prescribed ritual was observed, and the principle running 
through it all was that of a being who suffers and dies 
and, afterwards, triumphs over death. “In the nocturnal 
celebration of the Bacchic rites a statue was laid out 
upon a couch as if dead, and bewailed with the bitterest 
lamentations.” “In all the Mysteries the initiated pos¬ 
sessed secret signs of recognition.” 2 

The last of the Ancient Mysteries was that of Mithras 
introduced into Rome 68 b.c., according to Von Hammer. 
It became so popular that all other rites disappeared. Its 
initiates were divided into seven grades, and the neophyte 
after passing through several ordeals was presented with 
an engraved stone, or amulet, as a token of his admis¬ 
sion. It prevailed in Rome until the breaking up of the 
Empire. 


2 Gould’s History, pp. 19, 20. 


Chapter III 


THE ROMAN COLLEGIA AND THE MEDIEVAL 
GUILDS 

(i) The Roman Collegia. 

In Ancient Rome there existed a system of colleges form¬ 
ing a very prominent feature in its civic administration 
and history. Notwithstanding this prominence it is not 
easy to find out detals and particulars regarding them. 
Every writer, on any subject, takes for granted a certain 
knowledge on the part of his reader. This is all very 
well for the reader of the same period as the writer, but, 
when 2,000 years have intervened, apart from the change 
in language, there is the difficulty of forming a true con¬ 
ception, or picture, from old words and phrases long out 
of use. Notwithstanding these difficulties we are able to 
learn something about these colleges. We know they were 
not places for mere academical studies, as the name would 
imply with us to-day. They embraced colleges for the 
priesthood, for civil administrators, such as lawyers, 
police-officers, customs and revenue officers; for mer¬ 
chants and for tradesmen. They seem to have been a 
combination of our Universities, technical schools, train¬ 
ing colleges, friendly societies, etc. There appears, also, 
to have been, in some cases at least, social clubs mingled 
with them. The Romans were a wonderfully systematic 
and practical people and we may assume that, although 
we do not know the details, these colleges were well or¬ 
ganised. When we reflect that the Roman Civil Law and 
administration forms the basis of the national and munici- 
144 


THE ROMAN COLLEGIA 


145 


pal government of Europe and America to-day, we will 
not be surprised to find, from historians who have studied 
the subject of these colleges, that they formed the basis 
of the trade guilds and corporations so conspicuous in 
the Middle Ages. 

The Roman Colleges were known by the name of Col¬ 
legium, or Corpus, and are grouped by Gould under four 
leading divisions:— 

(1) Religious bodies, such as Colleges of Priests and 

of the Vestal Virgins. 

(2) Official bodies, such as Colleges of Scribse and 

administrators, lawyers, etc. 

(3,) Trade and Commercial bodies, such as masons, 
carpenters, bakers, etc., the members of which 
had a common trade craft, or profession. 

(4) Associations called Sodalitates, resembling mod¬ 
ern social clubs. 

The Collegium (or Societas) was composed of collegia 
or sodales (companions). The term originally expressed 
the tie which voluntarily bound them together and, ulti¬ 
mately, came to signify a body of persons and the tie 
uniting them. No college could consist of less than three 
members, and so rigid was this rule that the expression 
“tres fadunt collegium ”—“three make a college”—be¬ 
came a maxim of civil rule. The college was divided 
into “decuriae” and “centuriae”—bodies of ten and a 
hundred men, and was presided over by a “magister” and 
by “decuriones.” 1 Perhaps from these titles those of 
Master and Deacons in the mason lodge may have been 
derived. There were also a treasurer, sub-treasurer, 
secretary, and archivist. They had a common chest, a 
common cult, a meeting house, and a common table. To 
each candidate, on admission, an oath peculiar to the 
college was administered. Dues and subscriptions were 

1 Gould’s History, p 4 2 . 


146 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


imposed to meet the expenses of the college. They sup¬ 
ported their poor and buried their deceased brethren. 
Each college celebrated its natal day. The sodales called 
themselves and regarded themselves as “fratres”— 
brethren. These colleges sometimes were named by the 
particular trade, or profession, to which their members 
belonged, and sometimes, by the name of one of the 
many gods, to whom the Romans paid reverence, just 
as to-day we find mason lodges dedicated to certain 
saints—St. John, St. Mungo, St. David, etc. 

(2) Identity of the Collegia zvith the Guilds in England. 

Although we have not been able to learn anything of 
the rules of the trade colleges some of these belonging 
to the Cultorum Dei have been found, and, as mentioned 
by Gould, these have been compared with those of three 
of the guilds in London, Cambridge, and Exeter, by 
Coote, an acknowledged authority on the subject. In 
his book, ‘The Romans in Britain” (pp. 390-413), he 
places these respective rules side by side and remarks: 
“These coincidences which cannot be attributed to imita¬ 
tion or mere copying, demonstrate the absolute identity 
of the guilds of England with the Collegium of Rome 
and of Roman Britain.” 

These Collegia go back to the very earliest period of 
Roman history, and, wherever the Roman ensigns were 
carried and Roman cities built, there the Collegia were 
established. Those of the Architecti and Fabrorum are 
frequently mentioned. The younger Pliny, when pro- 
consul of Asia Minor, in a letter to the Emperor Trajan 
informing him of a destructive fire in Nicomedia, “re¬ 
quests permission to establish a collegium fabrorum for 
the rebuilding of that city.” 2 The colleges being spread 

2 Gould’s History, vol. i., p. 44. 


THE ROMAN COLLEGIA 


147 


over the wide extent of the Roman Empire, from Jeru¬ 
salem in Palestine to Lancaster in Britain, it is natural 
that the customs, ceremonies, and constitutions would be, 
to some extent, varied and modified by local circum¬ 
stances and conditions. Coote says, “All Roman cities 
were the foster mothers of those especially Roman in¬ 
stitutions—the colleges—these were very dear to the 
Romans. They were native to the great mother city. 
They were nearly as old as municipality itself, and it was 
as easy to imagine a Roman without a city, as to con¬ 
ceive his existence without a college. No sooner was the 
Roman Conquest of Britain begun, and a modicum of 
territory was obtained than we find a Collegium in our 
Civitas Regnorum—a collegium fabrorum. They (the 
Collegia) are masqued, it is true, under the barbarous 
name of gild, when our histories begin to tell us of them. 
This trivial word, due to the contributions upon which 
the colleges had from all time subsisted, betrays their 
constitution and we find them also where we ought to 
expect them in the Roman cities of Britain.” Kemble, 
in “The Saxons in England” (vol. xi., p. 268) says, “In 
the third century Marcianus reckons, unfortunately with¬ 
out naming them, fifty-nine celebrated cities in Britain.” 
Pike in his “History of Crime” (1873, vol. P- 65) 
says, “Towns bearing their Roman names existed when 
Bede, the first historian, began to write, nearly three 
hundred years after the date which has commonly been 
assigned to the mythical voyage of Hengist and Horsa.” 
The author of The Arts, Manufacturers, Manners, and 
Institutions of the Greeks and Romans (1833) observes 
with reference to the word Collegium—“A name given 
to a corporate body. The Romans had many such bodies; 
the Collegium augurum, pontificum, aruspicum, quinde- 
cemvirum, were the four chief, but there were also col¬ 
legia artificum et opificum, divided according to their 


148 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

respective crafts, each governed by a praefect elected by 
themselves. In them may be found the germ of our 
Anglo-Saxon guilds and of our modern corporations.” 
Gould in his “History of Freemasonry” says, “The 
Guild System existed before and after the Norman Con¬ 
quest, but there is no historical evidence of its beginning. 
It is, however, a fact of too much importance to be for¬ 
gotten that the guilds afterwards, became, for a time, 
in one form at least, the vital principle of the towns.” 

Such are some of the views of some prominent writers 
on the subject and it may be remarked, as a striking 
circumstance in connection with the Roman Collegia, 
that the majority of translators and commentators de¬ 
scribed them as guilds or companies. 

Now, the point before us is: Whence did the guilds 
and corporations of England originate, if not from the 
Roman Collegia? That these existed and flourished in 
the fifty-nine cities mentioned by Marcianus in the third 
century may be at once assumed without reasonable doubt, 
and it may be even more strongly asserted, that institu¬ 
tions such as guilds could not be imported from savage 
Jute, or Angleland, by the roving, piratical hordes who 
conquered England after the retreat of the Romans. It 
is true these guilds attained greater prominence after the 
Norman Conquest, but that was the natural result of the 
greater prosperity of the country and the large increase 
in the number of artisans of all kinds—many of whom 
were imported from Normandy and France. The great 
fact remains, beyond question, that these guilds existed 
during the Saxon period, and that the only rational con¬ 
clusion as to their origin is, that they were Roman Col¬ 
legia in a modified form and under a new name, caused 
by the change of the conditions and the language of the 
country. 


THE ROMAN COLLEGIA 


149 


(3) Identity of the Collegia with the Guilds in France . 

While this was the evolution of the Roman Collegia 
in Britain, in France we find them developing in a similar, 
but somewhat more marked fashion; and it will now 
be useful to our enquiry if we turn for a little to follow 
the development in that region. 

The ancient mysteries of Egypt, Syria, and Greece 
were all inherited by the Romans who, in matters of 
religion, were most cosmopolitan. Various forms of 
these mysteries prevailed in the Roman Empire at dif¬ 
ferent periods, and the prevailing mystery on the break¬ 
ing up of the Empire was that of Mithras. Of course, 
wherever the Roman power was established, the mysteries 
were set up, and all historians on the subject agree that 
there existed a close connection between the Mysteries 
and the Collegia. One is inclined to think that the 
Roman influence in France generally, as compared with 
Britain, is relative to the amount of Latin in the exist¬ 
ing languages, and we find that, as late as 496 a.d., the 
celebration of the Lupercalia existed in many parts of 
France. While the country was overrun by barbarous 
armies from the north and the Roman power broken, 
the city institutions seem to have remained untouched. 
M. E. Levasseur, in his “Historie des Classes Ouvieres 
en France” (vol. i., p. 122) says, “It was more espe¬ 
cially in the south and in the cities that the traditions of 
the past were perpetuated. The country districts had been 
invaded by the men and usages of Germany, but the 
cities, a sojourn in which was avoided by the barba¬ 
rians, preserved their Roman populations and even a por¬ 
tion of their ancient civil and political institutions. In 
462 a.d., the games in the circus were still celebrated at 
Arles.” The same author affirms that “The working 


150 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


classes owe to the Roman institutions not only their de¬ 
velopment but, so to speak, their very existence.” 

When the Roman power in Gaul gave place to that of 
the Franks, the prosperous populous cities were little 
affected by the change of government. The conquerors 
seem to have preferred to live, as they had been accus¬ 
tomed, in the open country; and to have left the towns 
to follow their own customs and laws, which were alto¬ 
gether Roman. No doubt this is the reason why in 
French History, as pointed out by Gould, we meet with 
evidence, at a very early period, of Trade Guilds in full 
organisation and activity and having all the appearance 
of maturity, if not of antiquity. A French historian, 
quoted by Gould, remarks, “The inhabitants of Rheims 
preserved, in the twelfth century, the recollection of the 
Roman origin of their municipal council. The citizens 
of Metz prided themselves on having exercised civil 
rights before the duchy of Lorraine existed. They used 
to say ‘Lorraine is young and Metz is old/ At Lyons, 
Bourges, and Boulogne, the citizens maintained that here 
had existed for those cities a right of free justice and 
administration before France became a Kingdom/' 
Another historian, also quoted by Gould says, “In the 
majority of cities the organisation of the Craft Guilds 
preceded that of the commune. The proof of it is that 
in almost all the communes the political system and the 
election of magistrates were based on the division of the 
citizens into trade corporations/' 

That the French Guilds and the City communes, of 
the early Middle Ages, were the direct descendants of 
the old Roman Colleges and municipalities, seems to be 
the unanimous opinion of the French Historians, and 
there does not appear to have been, at any time, any 
attempt to explain their origin otherwise. According 
to Levasseur the Craft Guilds were in full possession of 


THE ROMAN COLLEGIA 


151 


their privileges and powers in the eleventh century. This 
was more particularly the case in the south, where the 
cities had been less disturbed by the wars and invasions 
that so frequently took place from the downfall of the 
Roman Empire to the time of Charlemagne. August 
Thierry on this point says, ‘The corporations arose, 
equally with the communes, from an application of the 
Guild System to something pre-existing—to the corpora¬ 
tions, or colleges, of workmen of Roman origin.” 

In the Guilds the apprentice had to serve seven years 
at his Craft. The qualifications for his admission were 
legitimate birth, good honest character, and never having 
been under any judicial sentence. When his apprentice¬ 
ship was completed he was brought before the Masters 
of the Craft and sworn to keep secret the Craft and all 
points thereof. He then became a “journeyman’’—or 
travelling craftsman, and started on his “tour.” The 
Masters were elected at stated intervals and, in different 
places and periods, had different names. At their head 
were Masters or Provosts. These inspected all work, and 
could enter any workshop at any time. Every craftsman 
had to put a mark on his work. These Masters, or 
Wardens, were the custodiers of the common seal of the 
Craft, which they put on all work inspected and approved 
of by them. The Guilds had their Charities, relieving 
indigent members, and the widows and orphans of such. 
From the thirteenth to the eighteenth centuries they 
flourished without any material alteration until the Na¬ 
tional Assembly, after the Revolution in 1793, abolished 
them. 


Chapter IV 

THE FRENCH COMPANIONAGE 

(i) The Three Organisations and Their Traditions. 

Let us now turn our attention to the French Compan- 
ionage. As already stated in connection with the Guilds, 
when an apprentice had served his seven years, he be¬ 
came a “journeyman” and went on his travels. Hence 
arose the Associations of “Journeymen,” or, as they 
were called “Compagnons du Tour,” the object of which 
was to support and assist Craftsmen on their journeys. 
These bodies developed into three powerful organisa¬ 
tions: (i) The Sons of Solomon; (2) The Sons of 
Maitre Jacques; and (3) The Sons of Maitre Soubise. 
The Sons of Solomon are acknowledged to be the oldest. 
They include the Stone-masons, the Joiners and the 
Locksmiths, and the Stone-masons are the seniors. In 
the Sons of Jacques, the Stone-masons are, also, the 
seniors; and they admitted, first, the Joiners and the 
Locksmiths, and, later on, the members of nearly all the 
Crafts. In the Sons of Soubise, the Carpenters were 
originally the only Craft, but, latterly, they admitted 
the Plasterers and Tylers. The towns included in the 
tour of the Compagnon were chiefly in the south, where 
the old Roman Guilds had lingered longest. 

Each of the three orders has its legend as to its origin, 
and each has its hero, or martyr, whose death forms 
part of their ceremonies. Each has its “Devoir,” or 
primary constitution, occupying the same position as 
“the Charges” in the old British Craft Lodges. The 
Sons of Solomon claim that King Solomon gave them a 


THE FRENCH COMPANIONAGE 


153 


“Devoir” and incorporated them fraternally within the 
precincts of the Temple. They are accounted the most 
ancient of the companions and have traditions relating 
to Hiram, according to some, and to Adonniram, accord¬ 
ing to other authorities. This difference of name seems 
to have puzzled some writers, who seem to consider the 
names as different. In reality, they are two forms of 
the same name in Hebrew, just as if you said in English, 
“Hiram” and “Lord,” or “Master, Hiram.” The pre¬ 
fix Adoni or Adonai (which is naturally shortened of 
the final vowel in the presence of the aspirate) means 
Lord or Master. 

The Legend of Maitre Jacques of the second division 
of the Companionage has been partially published and 
may be found in Gould’s History. It is to the effect that 
Jacques, one of the first Masters of Solomon, and a 
colleague of Hiram, was born in the south of Gaul. In 
early life he travelled to Greece, was there instructed in 
the Arts and Sciences and became celebrated as a sculp¬ 
tor and architect. He went to Jerusalem to the building 
of the Temple. He there distinguished himself by con¬ 
structing and working out two magnificent columns, and 
was, in consequence, accepted as a Master. He returned 
to Gaul along with Maitre Soubise, with whom he had 
sworn never to part. Jealousy, however, on the part of 
Soubise, separated them and Jacques landed at Marseilles, 
and Soubise at Bordeaux. Jacques (choosing thirteen 
companions and forty disciples) travelled over the 
country. Constant warfare arose between the followers 
of Soubise and Jacques, and the latter was once nearly 
assassinated. At length, one of his own disciples be¬ 
trayed him, and he was murdered when alone, and en¬ 
gaged in prayer in his accustomed spot. His disciples 
arrived just in time to receive his last words before he 
died. The funeral ceremonies lasted three days, amid 


154 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


terrible storms, and were of a peculiar character. It is 
said “At the destruction of the Temple the Sons of Jac¬ 
ques separated, and divided amongst them his clothing.” 
“After the division of the articles belonging to M. Jac¬ 
ques, the Act of Faith was found, which was pronounced 
by him on the day of his reception before Solomon, 
Hiram, the High Priest, and all the Masters.” 

The traditions of the several bodies of the Companion- 
age remain still in great obscurity, notwithstanding the 
several publications regarding them, yet all, while differ¬ 
ing as to names and details have three points in common 
with the Hiramic legend of Freemasonry, viz., a betrayal, 
a death, and a raising. Of all the various and curious 
resemblances between the Companionage and Free¬ 
masonry, perhaps the most interesting is the Hiramic 
Legend. Some writers are of opinion that it was intro^ 
duced into the Companionage by companions who pre¬ 
viously had been initiated into Freemasonry. Gould, 
however, in his History, has very clearly shown that this 
could not be the case. Modern Freemasonry was not 
introduced into France until 1726 and there are clear 
proofs of the existence of the Companionage with its 
legends as early as 1640, and inferentially before the 
year 1400. It has also to be remembered in connection 
with this that there are traces of the Hiramic Legend 
in connection with the British Craft Lodges prior to 1717. 

(2) Interesting Customs and Rules. 

While many points in the Companionage have been 
carefully concealed from the outer world, on their cus¬ 
toms and rules more light has been thrown. The follow¬ 
ing is a brief summary of some of these which strike a 
mason as interesting:— 

The house in which the companions met, and which 


THE FRENCH COMPANIONAGE 155 

formed the quarters of those on travel, was called “Mere” 
or “Mother,” just as masons speak of their lodge as 
Mother. Here assemblies were held, and banquets fol¬ 
lowed, each member paying an equal sum, whatever his 
consumption might be. The new arrival applied here, 
and was directed where to find employment. If desti¬ 
tute, he here obtained credit. If called home and he had 
no money, he was helped, from town to town, on his way. 
If sick, each member in turn visited him, and provided 
for his wants. If he died they buried him. 

The funeral ceremonies are peculiar. The coffin is 
borne on the shoulders of companions. Two canes 
crossed, an interlaced Square and Compasses, and the 
colours of the society, are placed on the top. They 
march to the cemetery in twos, place the coffin on the 
edge of the grave and form round it the “living circle” 
An address is given by one of the companions, and all 
kneel on one knee, and offer a prayer to the Supreme 
Being. The coffin is lowered and the “Accolade” or 
“Guilbrette” follows. This part of the ceremony is of 
special interest, and is as follows:—Two canes are placed 
cross-wise on the ground. Two companions stand, each 
within one of the quarters thus formed, turn half-round 
on the left foot, advance the right foot into the empty 
square in front, and, taking each other by the right 
hand, whisper in each other’s ear and embrace. All go 
through this act in turn, kneel once more on the edge 
of the grave, offer up a prayer, throw three pellets of 
earth on the coffin and retire. 

In connection with some of the Companionage, techni¬ 
cal schools were maintained in every town in which they 
had a society branch. In these schools Science, as well as 
Art, were taught; and to them, perhaps, France is in¬ 
debted for her marked superiority in artistic handicraft. 

According to Clavel, the “funeral catastrophes” of 


156 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


the legends were enacted in their ceremonies. The Sons 
of Solomon wore “white gloves” to signify their inno¬ 
cence of the death of Hiram, and the common emblems 
of all the societies were the Square and Compasses. 

(3) The “Wolves” of the Sons of Solomon 
and the Masonic “Lewis.” 

A remarkable feature of the Companionage is the Sons 
of Solomon calling themselves “Loups” (pronounced 
“loos”) or wolves. Now, what we call the “Lewis” the 
French call “Louve” and the two wedged-shaped side 
pieces “Louveteaux,” or little wolves. A companion is 
a wolf and his sons are called Louveteaux. In Britain 
the son of a mason is called a “Lewis.” Evidently the 
word “Lewis” has been derived from the French “Louve” 
—a wolf; at least, there is no other derivation that we 
are aware of. But, why this name of wolves? It is 
here we find another trace of the connection between the 
Companionage and the Ancient mysteries. A writer in 
the Encyclopedia Britannica says the Lupercalia mysteries 
were very ancient, possibly pre-Roman. Its rites were 
under the superintendence of a Corporation of Priests 
called “Luperci”—wolves, and its great celebration was 
on the 15th of February. It survived until the year 
494 a.d. The Luperci were divided into two colleges 
called “Dents de Louve”—a wolfs tooth. Royal palaces 
were called “Lupara”—wolves’ lairs, I presume, because 
they were places of strength. Hence, no doubt, the name 
of the palace in Paris, the Louvre. Within the last cen¬ 
tury there was an annual festival held at Jumieges which 
was considered to be a survival of the Lupercalia. “In 
the mysteries of Isis the candidate was made to wear 
the mask of a wolf’s head” 1 and we know the Bacchic 

1 Heckethorn, see Gould’s History, vol. a., p. 244. 


THE FRENCH COMPANIONAGE 


157 


mysteries were derived from Egypt. This connection 
is further indicated from the name of Maitre Soubise 
who prominently figures in the legends of the Compan- 
ionage. The name “Sabazius” is one applied to 
“Bacchus” He was also called “Sabos,” and Gould sug¬ 
gests that Soubise is a corruption of Sabazius, and prob¬ 
ably at an early date the pronunciation of the former was 
much nearer the original than that of to-day. The 
Anglo-Saxon workman, hearing the name, might natu¬ 
rally ask what it was, and receive the reply that it was 
a Greek name. Hence, probably, the “Naymus the Gre¬ 
cian” of the old British charges, which has puzzled every¬ 
body. In this, it seems to us, Bro. Gould has made, very 
probably, the true explanation, and we would add to it 
this remark: The Anglo-Saxon is not a good linguist 
and there are certain sounds he cannot, as a rule, master, 
particularly the guttural. If the name originally was 
anything like the Greek Bacchus—the Anglo-Saxon 
would prefer to say, or write, “A Greek name” and, as 
Gould remarks, from “Naymus Grecus” (which would 
be the form of the expression then,) to “Naymus the 
Grecian” is no great step. 

(4) Similarities of the Companionage and Freemasonry. 

The several points of agreement between the Com¬ 
panionage and Freemasonry are very ably dealt with 
by Gould. These we have condensed and arranged as 
follows:— 

Similarities of Expression and Phraseology. 

(1) The name “Sons of Solomon” reminds us of our 

own fraternity. 

(2) Companions de Liberte—free companions, is very 

close to Freemasons. 


158 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


(3) “Devoir” is a literal translation of our English 

“charges” 

(4) “General Assembly” is a term common to both 

Societies. 

(5) “Accepted Companions” and “Initiated Com - 

panions” sound quite familiar. 

(6) “Passed Companion” presents a remarkable coin¬ 

cidence with our own expression “Passed 
Fellow-craft.” 

(7) The identity of idea and application of the words 

“Lewis” and “Louveteau” can scarcely be a 
mere chance correspondence. 

Procedure Before Initiation. 

In both societies we find:— 

(1) A previous inquiry into the candidates’ character. 

(2) An absence of compulsion and a perfect freedom 

of choice. 

(3) A preliminary exposition of the general tendency 

of the society. 

(4) Perfect liberty to withdraw up to the last possible 

moment. 

( 5 ) Sponsors, represented in Freemasonry by the 

proposer and seconder. 

The Government of the Societies . 

(1) Each particular branch of the Companionage was 

thoroughly independent and was welded into 
uniformity with the other branches by the 
various charges. Previous to 1717 this was, 
generally, the status of masonic lodges. 

(2) Each branch and lodge exercised the powers of 

petty justice over its own members. 


THE FRENCH COMPANIONAGE 


1 59 


(3) Punishments took the form of fines and, in grave 

cases, of expulsion. 

(4) There was a perfect equality of membership. 

(5) All the members took part in the election of 

officers. 

(6) Every companion and every fellow of the craft was 

eligible for office. 

(7) The officers in the Companionage were a president, 

elders, and secretary. If we regard the presi¬ 
dent as Master and the elders as Wardens, the 
exact counterpart is met with in the three prin¬ 
cipal officers of a Freemason Lodge. 

The Acknowledged Principles of the Two Institutions. 

(1) The companions professed to honour God. 

(2) To preserve their Master’s interests. 

(3) To yield to one another mutual support and assist¬ 

ance. 

These are all cardinal points of a Freemason’s profes¬ 
sion. 


Resemblances in Ceremonies and Customs. 

(1) In the sequence of degrees. 

(2) In the costume and posture of candidates. 

(3) In having prescribed steps. 

(4) In conventional knocks. 

(5) In the progression from one officer to another. 

(6) In an examination on previously imparted in¬ 

struction. 

(7) In Circumambulation. 

(8) In Discalceation. 

(9) In the Living Circle. 

(10) In the two lighted candles. 


160 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

(n) In the oath of Secrecy. 

(12) In avoiding a conventional method of salutation. 

(13) In the banquet following the ceremony. 

(14) In the use of two separate rooms. 

(15) In the Guilbrette. 

(16) In having watch, or pass, words. 

(17) In the use of the Square and Compasses. 

(18) In holding monthly meetings on a certain day of 

the week and not a fixed day of the month. 

(19) In holding a yearly festival. 

(20) In converting fines into liquor for the general 

company. 

Accidental Coincidences. 

(1) The enmity of the Roman Church. 

(2) The admission of candidates of all religions. 

(3) The blue sash edged with gold. 

The most striking fact :— 

The mutual possession of an Hiramic Legend and its 
probable existence amongst the companions from 
a very remote period. 

The resemblances here enumerated (41 in all) are too 
many and too close to be accounted for by accident. It 
seems an irresistible conclusion that the Companionage 
of France and the Operative Lodges of Britain were the 
offspring of a common parent, and the only parent visible 
on the pages of history is the Collegia of Rome. These 
were closely allied and identified with the Ancient mys¬ 
teries, and thus seemingly, along with the operative art 
of building, came down to us the seeds of that system of 
speculative masonry which, to-day, encircles the globe 
and embraces every sect and section of Humanity. 


Chapter V 


THE GERMAN STEIN-METZEN 

(i) The Name and Origin of the Organisation. 

The meaning of the name “Stein-Metzen” has been rend¬ 
ered in two ways. Some authorities say the word 
“Metzen” comes from the same Teutonic root as 
“Messer”—a knife, and “Meitzel”—a chisel; and, there¬ 
fore, they translate the name as “Stone-cutters,” Others 
hold that the root of the word is “Messen” to measure, 
and that the name means “Stone-measurers.” Of course, 
there can be no difference of opinion as to “Stein” mean¬ 
ing “stone.” Gould says, in his History of Freema¬ 
sonry (vol. i., p. 108), that the translation stone-meas¬ 
urers is “identical in all points with our own term stone¬ 
mason.” This can scarcely be the case, unless Bro. Gould 
holds the words, “Mason” and “Measurer” to be the 
same. Essentially it seems to us, the word “Mason” 
means a builder, one who masses, or brings together 
and, although in doing so he measures his material, the 
measuring is incidental to the main and essential function 
of building. The name “Stone-mason,” therefore, must 
surely be held as quite distinct from that of “Stone- 
measurer.” On the whole, the interpretation of “Stone¬ 
cutters” appears to be the more natural one, and, in 
this, we choose to follow Steinbrenner and Fort, in 
preference to Gould. 

As to the origin of the Stein-Metzen organisation there 
has been considerable controversy. It is, at present, 
neither our desire nor purpose to consider, or to state, 
the various views and the many arguments advanced 
in this discussion. Rather would we see if we can gather 
161 


162 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

up and put together the main and indisputable facts, 
acknowledged generally, on the subject:— 

(1) The art of building was introduced into Germany 

by the early Christian missionaries, probably in 
the fifth century. 

(2) The missionaries were sent out by the Celtic Church 

of Ireland and Scotland, and they built mon¬ 
asteries and churches in various parts. 

(3) Later on, missionaries from the Romish Church 

succeeded the Celtic missionaries and extended 
the art of building throughout Germany up to 
the twelfth century. 

(4) Whenever and wherever cities arose and developed, 

Craft guilds were formed and fostered. 

(5) In the course of time, the Masters in the Craft 

guilds—with the single exception of the masons 
—gradually excluded workmen from their 
meetings, and the workmen thus excluded 
formed guilds of their own. 

(6) In, or about, the twelfth century, the Church had 

become rich and consequently indolent and 
vicious. It preferred to spend its wealth in 
luxurious living than in missionary enterprise 
and in building new stations and churches. 
This, and perhaps other causes, forced the 
skilled ecclesiastical masons to leave the em¬ 
ployment of the monks and amalgamate with 
the Craft guilds in the towns. 

(7) From this amalgamation sprang the organisation 

known as the Fraternity of Stein-Metzen. 

(2) The Culdees. 

It is generally adrnitted that Roman civilisation in 
Germany was obliterated in the early centuries of the 


THE GERMAN STEIN-METZEN 


163 


Christian era, and that the art of building, prior to the 
arrival of the Celtic missionaries, extended to little more 
than the erection of rude huts. It will, then, be inter¬ 
esting, as well as natural, that we should direct our 
attention for a little to those missionaries and the church 
they represented. 

The missionaries, we have referred to, are alluded to 
by historians as Culdees, and round this name there has 
been no end of controversy. Some assert they are, under 
another name, monks of St. Columba. But, they may 
have been followers of that saint, although not monks. 
As to the name, it would take too much time to mention 
all the curious derivations put forward. As the church 
to which they belonged was distinctly Gaelic, it seems 
ridiculous to go to any other language for the meaning 
of the name. “Cul” means the back—“air do chul,”— 
behind you. “Cul ri cul”—back to back. It has the 
idea of support, of mutual help, as in English—backing, 
as well as retirement. “Cuile”—a store room. “Cuil” 
—a corner, nook, niche. There is also “Ceil”—to con¬ 
ceal, hide, screen, shelter, and “Ceile”—a spouse, hus¬ 
band, wife, a match, a separating, etc.; and “Ceiltinn” 
—concealing, hiding. Dia or Di, means God. Dr. 
Mitchell, in his excellent History of Gaelic Scotland, 
says the Culdees were so called to contra-distinguish 
them from the ordinary monks. The ordinary monks 
were called in Latin “Christicolae” = Christ worshippers, 
but the first mentioned were called “Die-colae” = God 
worshippers, because they retired to secret places; and 
thus, in Gaelic, they would be called “Ceile De,” which in 
course of time became corrupted into Culdee. But, al¬ 
though there is little doubt that the meaning of the word 
Culdee is that of secret God-worshippers, it does not 
follow that the name was given to contra-distinguish them 
from the ordinary monks, nor does it, so far as we can 


164 . 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


see, indicate even that they were monks, nor that they 
were, in any way, hermits. They might retire from 
time to time and thus get the name. Indeed, the name 
is more likely to have been applied if they lived an 
ordinary life and retired only for a period—brief or pro¬ 
longed, regular or at odd times—to worship God, than 
if they were, like monks, supposed to be continually do¬ 
ing so, in some out of the way place. The very name 
indicates a characteristic act, namely, retiring to worship 
God. This, constantly repeated, would distinguish them 
much more than if they had continually lived apart, 
just as any action constantly repeated makes more im¬ 
pression than when done once. There is nothing, also, 
to indicate that they were hermits. On the contrary, the 
fact that the missionaries to Germany were known by 
the name, is an indication that they were not hermits, 
but full of active sympathy and love for mankind. In 
all the records we have of the Culdees, both in the British 
Isles and on the Continent, we find them in close active 
work and associated with their fellows. Among the 
very earliest references in Ireland we find “Maenach a 
Cele-De came across the sea westwards, to establish laws 
in Ireland.” St. Maelruain, the founder of the Church 
at Tamhlacht, near Dublin, gathered round him a fra¬ 
ternity. In Armagh they existed as a capitular body 
down to at least 1628 a.d. In Scotland there are records 
referring to the Culdees in the Pictish Kingdom and 
these show that they lived in communities, not isolated. 
We also find them as a community at York in 936 a.d. 

Now, the fact we wish to emphasise is, that the Culdees 
were not isolated anchorites but, although some of them 
may have been so, were active men engaged in some way 
with church work, and in the missionary work in Ger¬ 
many. It has also to be kept in view, that in the Celtic 
Church, as distinguished from that of Rome, the monks, 


THE GERMAN STEIN-METZEN 


1 65 


or clergy, were not celibates. They married and worked 
with their hands in building places for worship. In the 
first establishment of missionary stations, the distinction 
between the builder and the preacher would not be seen. 
The less prominent builder would not be noticeable until 
a more settled state had arrived. If, as we suspect, there 
was a building fraternity in the early Celtic Church, they 
would not appear peculiar in early primitive conditions. 
But, when busy communities gathered together they were 
characterised by retiring together, it might be, “to the 
highest hill or the lowest valley.” 

But where did the Culdees obtain a knowledge of 
operative masonry? Tertullian, the Roman writer, in 
the year 196 a.d. records that “Those localities of the 
Britons, hitherto inaccessible to the Romans, had become 
subject to Christ . . . The Kingdom and name of Christ 
have extended to places which defied the arms of Rome.” 
This remark could only be applicable to Scotland. The 
persecutions of the Christians by the Roman Emperors 
undoubtedly caused many of them to fly to Scotland, 
for everywhere else the Roman eagles were triumphant. 
Of these fugitives there would surely be some belonging 
to the collegium fabrorum, and thus, northward along 
with the seeds of Christianity, came the art of building. 
Scotland through those fugitives became the first Chris¬ 
tian Kingdom in the world. In the year 397 a.d. we find 
records of what was called a great monastery and church 
at Whithorn. The early Celtic churches and monasteries 
were built of dry stone with considerable skill. The 
skill was there, but the material could only be that which 
lay at hand. No marble to work on, nor, perhaps, many 
tools and appliances to work with. The roofs, doors, 
and windows were formed by overlapping the stones, and, 
in the case of monasteries, the roofs were all converged 
to a common centre and, hence, are called “bee-hive” 


166 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


houses. These early buildings seem to us to be the be¬ 
ginning of the Gothic style. The Culdee builders in 
Germany would naturally begin to build in the style 
to which they had been accustomed. Adapting them¬ 
selves to the new conditions of climate and material and, 
very probably, with an extended knowledge of the art 
through contact, later on, with the Frankish builders of 
the south, they, and their successors, improved their style 
until the Gothic form became fully developed. Cities be¬ 
gan to grow round the missionary stations and, all over 
the land, civilisation and commerce spread their blessings. 
The Benedictine Monks of Rome became the heirs of 
the pioneer labours of the Culdees on the Continent and, 
no doubt, these introduced French Craftsmen, possibly 
“Sons of Solomon.” The ceremonies of the Benedic¬ 
tines are said, by some, to have a close resemblance to 
some of the masonic ceremonies; and on this the theory 
has been advanced of a Benedictine origin of Freema¬ 
sonry. We do not know enough on the subject to form 
any decided judgment; but if there is any such resem¬ 
blance, it arises from an early connection of the Bene¬ 
dictines with the French Sons of Solomon, and not from 
any connection with the Lodges of Freemasons. 

(3) The German Guilds and Stein-Metzen. 

With the rise of cities and commerce in Germany arose 
Guilds of Craftsmen, and we find them fully developed 
and active in the thirteenth century, notwithstanding 
attempts made, by Royal command, to suppress them. 
There were two kinds of guilds in existence there, as 
in France and Britain—that of the Craftsmen, or work¬ 
ers, and that of the Masters. The Masters', or free¬ 
holders' guild, or corporation, was formed of burghers 
who had certain civil privileges in the cities in which 


THE GERMAN STEIN-METZEN 


167 


they lived. The Craftsmen's guild was composed of 
workmen who went wherever work was to be found, 
but who could not execute work on their own account. 

There is a Code or Constitution extant of the year 
1 459 > th at gives us the first insight into the organisation 
of the Stein-Metzen. Other documents of a later date 
have been found in quantity, such as the Torgau Ordi¬ 
nances of 1462, and the Brother-Book of 1563. From 
these there are certain points of interest worthy of being 
noted:— 

(1) The members were classified as Apprentices, 

Fellows, and Masters. 

(2) The Apprentices were not admitted to the Brother¬ 

hood, and every one had to serve an apprentice¬ 
ship of five years before he could be admitted as 
a Fellow. 

(3) The Master was elected by the Fellows, but not 

invariably. 

(4) At his admittance the Fellow took a solemn obli¬ 

gation, on his truth and honour (in lieu of an 
oath), that (a) he would be true, loyal, and 
obedient; (b) maintain the Craft; (c) would 
not change his mark; (d) nor disclose the greet¬ 
ing and grip to any non-mason; (e) nor com¬ 
mit any part thereof in writing. Over, and in 
addition, to this, both Master and Fellow took 
an oath, as stated in Article lvi. of the Brother- 
Book, “by the oath which each one has taken 
to the Craft." 

(5) The ceremony concluded with a feast. 

(6) They had grips and probably signs and words. 

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, 
Herr Osterrieth, an architect, joined a survival 
of the Stein-Metzen at Strassburg, and on be¬ 
ing admitted to Freemasonry, by Heldmann, at 


168 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

Aarau, in Switzerland, found, to his surprise, 
that the grip of the E.A. was the same as that 
given him in Strassburg. 

(7) The lodge of Stein-Metzen was opened with 

three blows of the Gavel. 

(8) The mason travelled for two years as a Fellow. 

(9) The officers of the Lodge were Masters and Fel¬ 

lows. 

(10) In the cathedral of Wurzburg two pillars are in 
a part of the building, which at one time formed 
part of the original porch; and, in imitation of 
King Solomon's Temple, they are called Jachin 
and Boaz, and the names are engraved on the 
capitals. A counterpart of Jachin is found in 
Bamberg Cathedral, and one of Boaz in the 
New Market Church of Merseburg. 

In the Brother-Book (1563) there are other things 
which also arrest the attention of the Freemason. For 
instance, Article lxviii., “Nothing shall be withheld from 
any one, who has been accepted and pronounced free 
but, whatever ought to be told, or read to him, that 
shall he be told and communicated, in order that none 
may excuse himself or complain that, had he previously 
known thereof, he would not have joined the Craft.” 

In the Torgau Ordinances (1462) we find the follow¬ 
ing in Article xxviii., “The Master shall knock with 
three blows, the Wardens with two consecutively, and 
one for announcements at morning, noon, and eve, as is 
the old usage of the land” Article xxxi. is curious:— 
“No Master shall allow his Apprentice to pledge his 
mark unless he has served his time." There are also 
various rules regarding the moral conduct of Masters, 
Fellows, and Apprentices. The duties of Masters and 
Wardens are defined: amongst them being the proving 
of the Level and the Plumb-rule; seeing that the stones 


THE GERMAN STEIN-METZEN 


169 


“be well and truly made of the fellows”; and, (Article li.) 
“if a Warden mark a stone, because it is of no use, then 
shall he (the workman) lose his wages.” There are 
also various rules regarding the marking of stones and 
the answering of the knocks. The Wardens were to be 
the first in the lodge and the last to leave, and to act in 
several ways in the absence of the Master. There are 
fines exacted for various offences. Article lxx. and 
lxxi. enjoin, “Whatsoever fellow shall speak the other 
ill, or call him liar in ill-will, or earnest, or is foul- 
mouthed in the place of labour, he shall pay xii. Kr. to 
forfeit.” “Whatsoever fellow shall laugh another to 
scorn, or jeer at him, or call him by a nickname, he 
shall pay xv. Kr. to forfeit.” There are also regulations 
regarding the marking of stones by fellows. They were 
not to place their marks on them until finished and truly 
made. 

The rules as to general conduct are explicit and clear. 
Any fellow who ate, or drank, to excess, had to forfeit 
one week’s wages and i lb. of wax. He was not to con¬ 
sort with, nor treat “notorious females”; or disport him¬ 
self with “ungodly women”; nor slander another fellow, 
nor speak evil reports regarding him. There are also 
rules regarding helping each other in work and in sick¬ 
ness. Article cxi. says, “And if any fellow be in need 
on account of sickness, and have not wherewithal to live 
because he lieth sick, he shall be assisted from the box, 
and if he recovers, he shall pay it.” Article cxii. pro¬ 
vides, “And if any fellow shall make a journey for the 
guild, in that that concerns the Craft, his expenses shall 
be paid him out of the box.” 

These extracts will, perhaps, give a better idea of the 
Stein-Metzen organisation, and the resemblance it bears 
to that of Freemasonry, than any elaborate descriptions 
could do. 


170 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


On the 16th August, 1731, an Imperial Edict was 
issued in Germany prohibiting all brotherhoods of Crafts¬ 
men, oaths of secrecy, etc. This was in consequence of 
various disputes and strikes that led to riots and blood¬ 
shed among various trades, notably that of the Shoe¬ 
makers of Augesberg. In this the innocent suffered with 
the guilty, and the brotherhood of the Stein-Metzen was 
thus made illegal. Notwithstanding this, however, in 
various forms it existed down to within the memory of 
the present generation and, perhaps in some form or 
other, it still exists. 


Chapter VI 


THE OLD BRITISH LODGES 
(i) The Old Charges. 

Up to the year i860, among the masonic fraternity, 
there was scarcely anything known regarding the old 
British Lodges. Since that time much has been dis¬ 
covered, particularly through the careful and unwearied 
researches of the late Bro. Hughan. Old mouldering 
manuscripts have been rescued in many out of the way 
places, lodge chests and private collections have been 
searched, and the result has been rather surprising. 
The “Old Charges,” as they are called, formed an im¬ 
portant element in these discoveries. To an old lodge 
they were the equivalent of the Grand Lodge Charter 
to a modern lodge. They were essential to its existence 
as, without them, nothing could be done. The reading 
of the Charges constituted perhaps the greater part, or 
at least an important part, in the initiatory ceremony. 
These documents number 53, and have all been care¬ 
fully collated. No two of them are alike, and we would 
call this to the special attention of those brethren who 
clamour so much for uniformity, and who would have 
all lodge work cribbed and curbed in a cast-metal form. 
These ancient documents vary, although in all substan¬ 
tial points they are in singular harmony with each other. 
They seem as if all coming from a common source, and 
constructed for one common purpose. Many of them 
are undated, and their age has to be reckoned by internal 
indications. Gould, in his history, arranges them into 
three classes. A. Originals; B. Late Transcripts; C. 

171 


172 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Printed Copies, Extracts, and References. This is not 
quite a happy classification. The first class, named 
“Originals,” are evidently from internal indications, 
copies, more or less, of still older documents. The second 
class are pen-copies of acknowledged older documents. 
The third class are printed copies, from written MSS., 
from minutes, or from other sources. It seems to us the 
name “Primary” = the first known, would be a better 
term for the first class; Pen-copies, for the second; and 
Press-copies for the third class. Of the first named, 
there are 31; of the second, 6; and of the third, 16. 
The following is the list as given by Gould, with the 
dates he assigns to them, and the places where they 
may be found, or where they are referred to. You will 
find full details respecting these interesting MSS. in his 
admirable history. 

No. A. Primary Old Charges 

1— Halliwell (14th century), British Museum. 

2— Cooke (15th century), British Museum. 

3— Landsdowne (16th century), British Museum. 

4— Grand Lodge (a.d. 1583), Grand Lodge of England. 

5— York, No. 1 (17th century), The York Lodge, No. 236. 

6— Wilson, No. 1 (17th century), Thirlestane House, Chelten¬ 

ham. 

7— Wilson, No. 2 (17th century), Thirlestane House, Chelten¬ 

ham. 

8— Inigo Jones (1607), Rev. A. F. A. Woodford, London. 

9— Wood (1610), Rev. A. F. A. Woodford, London. 

10— York, No. 3 (1630), At York, 1779. 

11— Harleian, 1942 (17th century), British Museum. 

12— Harleian, 2054 (17th century), British Museum. 

13— Sloane, 3848 (1646), British Museum. 

14— Sloane, 3323 (1659), British Museum. 

15— Buchanan (17th century), Grand Lodge of England. 

16— Kilwinning (17th century), Mother Kilwinning Lodge. 

17— Atcheson Haven (1666), Grand Lodge of Scotland. 

18— Aberdeen (1670), Ancient Lodge, Aberdeen. 

19— Melrose, No. 2 (1674), Old Lodge, Melrose. 


THE OLD BRITISH LODGES 


173 


20 — Hope (17th century), Lodge of Hope, Bradford. 

21 — York, No. 5 (17th century), The York Lodges. 

22 — York, No. 6 (17th century), The York Lodges. 

23— Antiquity (1686), Lodge of Antiquity, London. 

24— Supreme Council, No. 1 (1686), Golden Square, London. 

25— York, No. 4 (1693), The York Lodge. 

26— Alnwick (1701), Alnwick. 

27— York, No. 2 (1704), The York Lodge. 

28— Scarborough (1705), Grand Lodge of Canada. 

29— Papworth (1714), Mr. Wyatt Papworth, London. 

30— Gateshead (1730), Lodge of Industry, Gateshead. 

31— Rawlinson (1730), Bodlein Library, Oxford. 

N 0> B. Pen-Copies of Older Documents 

32— Spencer (1726), Mr. E. T. Carson, Cincinnati, U.S.A. 

33— Woodford (1728), Rev. A. F. A. Woodford, London. 

34— Supreme Council, No. 2 (1728), Golden Square, London. 

35— Melrose, No. 3 (1762), Old Lodge, Melrose. 

36— Tunnah (1828), Mr. W. J. Hughan, Truro. 

37— Wren (1852), Rev. A. F. A. Woodford, London. 

N 0# C. Press-Copies/ Extracts, or References 

38— Dermott (16th century), Grand Lodge Minutes (Ancients). 

39— Dowland (17th century), In “Gentleman’s Magazine,” 1815. 

40— Dr. Plot (17th century), In “Natural History of Stafford¬ 

shire,” 1686. 

41— Hargrove (17th century), Hargrove’s History of York. 

42— Morgan (17th century), Grand Lodge Minutes (Ancients). 

43— Masons’ Coy (17th century), In “Edinburgh Review,” 1839. 

44— Roberts (17th century), In Spencer’s “Old Constitutions,” 

1871. 

45— Bricoe (17th century), In “Masonic Magazine,” 1876. 

46— Baker (17th century), Footnote by Dr. Rawlinson in the 

copy of his MS., see No. 31. 

47— Cole (17th century), Benjamin Cole’s engraved editions, 

etc., 1728. 

48— Dodd (17th century), Mr. E. T. Carson, U.S.A. 

49— Harris, in the Minutes of the Bedford Lodge, London, 1809. 

50— Batty Langley (18th century), In the “Builder’s Compleat 

Assistant,” 1738. 

51— Krause (18th century), Printed by Dr. Krause, Germany. 


174’ 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


This list does not complete all the versions of the Old 
Charges, but it includes all those of any importance that 
have yet been discovered. 

The oldest MS.—The Halliwell—of the fourteenth 
century, refers to “the olde bokys of Masonry,” so that 
whatever may be said as to the value and truth of 
masonic tradition, it must be admitted to be very old 
in itself. Taking all the circumstances of these manu¬ 
scripts into account', the natural inference is, that 
masonry, not simply in an operative sense, but, also, more 
or less in a speculative and esoteric sense, has existed 
from an early period. 

The “Halliwell” is in a poetic form and was evidently 
written by a priest. It does not, therefore, form one of 
the “Old Charges,” but all the same, is most interesting, 
and has been evidently composed with a copy of the “Old 
Charges” before the eye, or with the contents of such 
clearly in the memory of the author. It begins with 
a reference to Euclid and then, coming to England, says 
“In tyme of good Kynge Adelstonus day” who “loved 
thys Craft ful wel.” 

“He sende aboute ynto the londe 
After alle the Masonus of the Crafte, 

Asemble thenne he cowthe let make 
Of dyvers lordis in here state, 

Dukys, erlys and barnes, also, 

Knychtys, sqwyers and mony mo, 

And the grete burges of that syte. 

They were ther alle yn here degree: 

Fyftene artyculus they ther sowchton, 

And fyftene poyntys ther they wrochton.” 

The fifteen Articles for the “Mayster Mason” and 
the fifteen points for the Craftsman, we have no time 
here to detail. They are quaint and curious, and full 
of ancient lore. The Master is to be “stedefast, trusty, 


THE OLD BRITISH LODGES 


175 


and trwe,” and “upright as a judge.” His apprentice 
is to be “of lawful blod,” and “have hys lymes hole.” 
“No werke he undurtake, but he conne bothe hytende 
and make.” The Craftsmen are “to love wel, God and 
his holy churche and his mayster and felows,” to help 
one another by instructing those deficient in knowledge 
and skill; to be true to the King and to be sworn to keep 
all these points. It says: 

“And alle schul swere the same ogth, 

Of the Masonus ben they luf, ben they loght 

To alle these poyntes hyr byfore 

That hath ben ordeynt by ful good lore.” 

In the various MSS. of the “Old Charges” the tradi¬ 
tions of masonry are rehearsed in a most marvellous 
fashion. Scriptural and secular names, such as Adam, 
Noah, and Lamech, with Pythagoras and Hermes, Abra¬ 
ham and Euclid, King Solomon and Charles the Second 
of France, St. Alban and King Athelstane, are all linked 
up in a narrative of the progress of Freemasonry. After 
this follows various rules or charges for Masters, for 
Fellows, and for Apprentices. 

(2) The Speculative Element in the Old Lodges. 

Some of the regulations contained in these charges 
are interesting. On the whole, they relate to the con¬ 
duct of masons. They are of a moral, and religious 
character and are, therefore, more speculative than opera¬ 
tive in their purpose. To go into the details of these 
would, however, not further the particular purpose at 
present before us, which is, to get an idea of the general 
character of these old lodges, and ascertain their relation 
to the Freemasonry of the present day. We will, there¬ 
fore, put them aside, and proceed to enquire as to what 


176 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


extent the speculative element, if any, existed in these 
Ancient Lodges. 

It was for a long time believed, and the belief is still 
held by many, that prior to 1717, the mason lodges were 
purely operative. On the other hand, writers such as 
Anderson and Laurie pretended that these old lodges, 
and lodges away back to the time of Noah, were the 
same as the modern lodges, and they filled many pages 
with childish tales unworthy of men of their position. 
But while this is so, it is to be regretted that the later 
historians, in their anxiety to avoid the errors of their 
predecessors and to proceed only on sure ground, should 
have run into the error of refusing to admit anything 
that was not backed up by clear documentary evidence. 

In history, as in everything else, circumstantial evi¬ 
dence is not only admissible, it is often the only evidence 
we possibly can get; and where there exists no direct 
proof for, or against, any theory or belief, then a fair 
and reasonable inference, deduced from all the circum¬ 
stances of the case, ought to be allowed, and ought to 
receive the benefit of a full discussion and a fair judg¬ 
ment. 

Taking the Old Charges and reading them over, no 
one can fail to be impressed with the moral precepts they 
contain, and how the speculative bulks over the purely 
operative parts. In every case the mason is charged 
first of all to be true to God, the King and to his fellows. 
Stealing and vice are explicitly named to be avoided. 
Falsehood and deceit are condemned, and the general 
impression left after reading these ancient documents is, 
that they are not those of a mere trades union or opera¬ 
tive guild. There is an element in them, apart from and 
above the operative work, that refers to conduct and 
morals, and it is in this, more than in anything else, that 
their relationship with modern masonry shows itself. 


THE OLD BRITISH LODGES 177 

After all, what is the purpose of our speculative system 
but to shape life and conduct to noble ends. 

In these Charges several refer to what is called the 
“Edwin legend.” Now, whether the story of “King 
Athelstane and his youngest sone” is true or not, the 
words used regarding the son, in the Cook MSS. (British 
Museum) are very significant. They are as follows, 
“lernyd practyke of yt sciens to his speculatyf. For of 
speculatyfe he was a Mastr and he lovyd well masonry 
and masons. And he became a mason hymselfe.” Here 
is a document written in the early part of the fifteenth 
century, and according to experts, a copy of some older 
document, which shows in the words used by the writer 
that there were two kinds of masonry in his mind. It 
may of course be said that the speculative here referred 
to was the abstract theories of building, as distinct from 
the practical, or of philosophy generally. But, if this is 
so, how can we account for the expression, common in 
some masonic quarters even to-day, of “theoretical and 
practical masons,” thereby meaning speculative and opera¬ 
tive masons. There may be a reasonable probability of 
a King’s son turning his mind to science, but unless 
there was something else in masonry than merely rules 
for operative workmen, then we cannot for a moment 
understand the tale, if it be true, nor even the invention 
of the tale, if it be not true. 

Turning to the Records of these old Craft Lodges we 
find in the minutes of the Lodge of Edinburgh, under 
date 8th June, 1600, that “Jhone Boiswell of Achinflek” 
was present at a meeting of the lodge and with others 
“affixit ye markis” as witness to an entry. On the “3rd 
day of Joulay, 1634” the “Rt. Hon. My Lord Alexander” 
is admitted Fellow of the Craft. In 1672, Lord Cassillis 
is noted as being Deacon in Lodge Kilwinning, and in 
the trial of the Rev. James Ainslie for being a Freemason 


178 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


before the Presbytery of Kelso (24th February, 1652), 
we find it recorded "that to their judgment there is neither 
sinne nor scandale in that word” (Masons’ word) "be¬ 
cause in the purest tymes of this kirke maisons haveing 
that word have been ministers; that maisons and men 
haveing that word have been, and are, daylie in our ses¬ 
sions, and many professors haveing that word are daylie 
admitted to the ordinances.” (Gould’s History, chapter 
viii., p. 444-) 

Elias Ashmole in his diary says in 1646, “I was made 
a Freemason at Warrington in Lancashire, with Col. 
Henry Mainwaring of Karincham in Cheshire.” In 
this lodge at Warrington, in 1646, the Warden was a 
Richard Penketh, of Penketh, a landed proprietor; and 
a most exhaustive search has revealed the fact that nearly 
all the names mentioned in connection with that lodge, 
at that time, are names of gentlemen, landed proprietors, 
and others, non-operatives. 

All these records, masonic and non-masonic, attest the 
fact that from the beginning of the seventeenth century 
non-operatives formed a large element in what have been 
called "The Old Operative Lodges.” Looking at this 
evidence, it is but a fair and reasonable inference that 
this speculative element must have existed in these lodges 
for a considerable time prior to the dates of these records, 
for there is nothing in them that indicates, in any way, 
that the admission of non-operatives was an innovation. 
Everything points the other way, for the records state 
the facts as if they were of ordinary occurrence and 
not unusual. This is further strengthened by the re¬ 
markable finding of the Presbytery of Kelso, in the case 
of the Rev. James Ainslie, referred to. In that judg¬ 
ment it is said “in the purest tymes of this Kirke maisons 
haveing that word have been ministers Now, the purest 
times referred to are undoubtedly those of the Reforma- 


THE OLD BRITISH LODGES 


179 


tion period, viz., 1560, and there is little doubt but that 
the Presbytery of Kelso had some good grounds for 
making this statement. We have thus very good evi¬ 
dence that in the middle of the sixteenth century, at least, 
the speculative element existed in mason lodges. 

Having arrived at this conclusion, the question arises, 
why are these non-operatives members of this society? 
In history there are instances of bodies of men placing 
themselves under the wing of men in position and power. 
But, invariably, we find that they did so for protection, 
or gain, in some form or other; and that they had, in 
return, to give some service or benefit; or that they had 
some prior bond of kinship, sympathy, or interest be¬ 
tween them. Now, have we any indication of any such 
services, or such prior bond, existing between the opera¬ 
tives and the non-operatives of the sixteenth and seven¬ 
teenth centuries? On the one hand, what interest had 
the lodges in admitting non-operatives, if they were 
purely operative lodges; and, on the other hand, what 
were the inducements that caused the non-operatives to 
join these lodges? The lodges do not seem to have 
needed, or received, any special protection from the non¬ 
operatives. They do not even seem to have received 
anything to speak of in the shape of money contributions. 
Jealous of their rights, very exclusive and conservative 
as we find them in their statutes and laws against cowans, 
etc., is it at all likely that these ancient lodges would 
have thus received into their ranks, men so entirely 
severed from them in many ways, had there not been 
something more in these lodges than pure operative 
masonry ? The protection of Kings and statesmen might 
have served some operative object, although we do not 
see any indication of that, but that motive would not 
apply to the great majority of those named in the minutes. 


180 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


(3) Degrees in the Old Lodges . 

There exists much difference of opinion amongst the 
best authorities as to the question of degrees in the old 
operative lodges. Bros. Hughan, Murray-Lyon, and 
others, who have studied this question deeply and earn¬ 
estly, emphatically declare that there exists no evidence 
of any but one degree in all the known records of our 
Craft. They maintain that there was only one simple 
ceremony, consisting of the reading of certain charges 
and one oath, with, perhaps, some explanation of a 
symbol or two, and that the degrees now known as Fel¬ 
low Craft and Master Mason had no existence prior to 
the revival in 1717. 

Bro. Gould and the late Bro. Speth and others, who 
have also given the subject great and earnest study, are 
of opinion that there were, at least, two ceremonies, or 
degrees, in the old operative lodges, although, no doubt, 
in a less elaborate form than now practised in the purely 
speculative lodges of to-day. Both parties are at one 
in this, that as far back as can be traced, and from a 
very remote period probably, there were three distinct 
grades of masons, not necessarily degrees as we know 
them, viz.: Apprentice, Craftsman, and Master. Now, 
where such eminent authorities on masonic history differ, 
it is a very difficult thing for a mere ordinary member to 
venture to speak on the subject, and to hazard an opinion. 
But there is a remarkable entry in the records of the 
Haughfoot Lodge, under date 1702, that seems to indi¬ 
cate that there were two ceremonies. The first part of 
the minute is lost, as it is written on a preceding page, 
now missing, of the minute book. The part remaining 
is as follows:—“of entrie as the apprentice did leaving 
out (the Common Judge). Then they whisper the word 
as before, and the Master Mason grips his hand after the 


THE OLD BRITISH LODGES 


181 


ordinary way.” What is here written “the Common 
Judge” is no doubt (as has been pointed out) meant for 
“the Common Gauge ” This minute indicates that there 
was more than one way of griping, viz., the “ordinary 
way and some other way.” 

In various records of the old lodges there is evidence 
that a mason was fined if, within a year after taking 
an apprentice, he failed to “enter him and give him his 
charge,” and we find repeated references to “the entering” 
of the apprentice. We also find that there were charges 
of which we have MSS. preserved, “for Masters and 
Fellows,” in which the words occur “that ye kepe all 
the councells of yor fellows truely,” and so on. From 
this evidence it would appear that there were Apprentice 
charges, and charges for Fellows and Masters, which 
plainly indicate at least two distinct ceremonies, for, it is 
acknowledged by all that the reading of the charges 
formed a part, perhaps the principal part, of a ceremony 
in these old lodges. 

When an apprentice finished his term of service, he 
usually travelled. He was a “journey- man.” It is not 
likely in those days that he would carry with him “lines” 
or papers to show that he had served his apprenticeship. 
The simple and natural method would be that he had 
certain signs, words, and tokens, or grips, and these 
would necessarily require to be quite distinct from those 
of an apprentice. We find that he had to undergo a 
severe trial and examination, and prove himself before 
he was “passed.” Of this we have abundant proof in the 
old records. Now, unless there were some distinct signs, 
words, and grips for the Craftsman who had successfully 
passed his examination, what would hinder an appren¬ 
tice who had served some years, or all his years, but had 
not “passed,” from pretending to be a Fellow of the 
Craft? It seems to us, notwithstanding Bros. Hughan 


182 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


and Murray-Lyon, for whose opinions we have the ut¬ 
most respect, that there were not only distinct charges, 
as is proved by the old records, but that in the nature 
of things there would be, also, distinct signs, words, and 
tokens, as indicated in the old minute book of the Haugh- 
foot Lodge. If this inference is right, then it follows that 
there would be at least two distinct ceremonies of some 
kind, one for the Apprentice, and one for the Fellow- 
Craft. 

On the point of the introduction of the third degree 
by Drs. Anderson and Desaguliers into Freemasonry, 
we would venture to differ from the opinion of Gould and 
Murray-Lyon, who charge these brethren with fabricat¬ 
ing it, and foisting it upon the Order shortly after 1717. 
Our contention is that, prior to that year, the Hiramic 
legend was not confined to the Companionage of France, 
but was common to the Masons of England, and Scot¬ 
land as well. Anderson and Desaguliers only put into a 
ceremonial form a tradition well known to the Craft, 
otherwise, we are convinced, they would never have been 
able to introduce it. Especially would this be so in 
Scotland. If we reflect on the peculiar characteristic of 
the Scottish mind, its independence of thought, and on 
the circumstances of the period, we can scarcely credit 
the theory that a brand-new degree, altogether strange 
in substance as well as in form, was accepted and at once 
adopted in Scotland. The Scottish mind was then full 
of the association of the Covenanters, and was not likely 
to view favourably any ritual coming from England. 
The ceremony, therefore, introduced by Dr. Desaguliers 
into the Lodge Edinburgh, St. Mary's Chapel, must surely 
have harmonised with some previous ceremony, or, at 
least, with traditions familiar and common to the mem¬ 
bers of the Craft. 


Chapter VII 
SUMMARY 

(i) Characteristic Points Common to the Organisations 
Considered. 

From the somewhat imperfect, and limited survey of 
the masonic historical field, which we have taken in the 
preceding pages, there are certain characteristic points 
of modern speculative masonry which we find common 
to the several organisations we have had under consid¬ 
eration. These are:— 

(a) A Secret Mode of Recognition by Their Members. 
—It is, we think, beyond doubt, that in the ancient mys¬ 
teries, the initiated possessed secret signs of recognition. 
Mackey in his Lexicon says, “The members were in pos¬ 
session of signs and tokens by which they were enabled 
to recognise each other.” Gould says that “in all the 
mysteries, the initiated possessed secret signs of recog¬ 
nition, is free from doubt,” and he quotes several an¬ 
cient writers in substantiation of this statement. The 
Roman Collegia, according to the Rev. A. F. A. Wood¬ 
ford in his “Cyclopaedia,” “had secret signs of recog¬ 
nition,” and Mackey says the members of the Collegia 
“were enabled to recognise each other by secret signs.” 
Gould, so far as we have noticed, does not touch on this 
point in connection with the Collegia. In view of the 
customs prevalent previously in the mysteries, and after¬ 
wards in the guilds, however, there can be little doubt 
but the members of the Collegia had their secret signs 
and tokens. Indeed, we can scarcely conceive the idea 
183 


184 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


of a secret society existing without a secret mode of 
recognition. In the French Companionage, the German 
Stein-Metzen, and the Old British Craft Lodges, secret 
modes of recognition were a prominent point in their 
organisation. That these were the same in detail in each 
society is not at all likely. But the remarkable coin¬ 
cidences, already mentioned in connection with these 
organisations, and particularly between the Stein-Met¬ 
zen and the Freemasons’ secrets, as recorded in the case 
of Herr Osterrieth, give reasonable grounds for the 
opinion that, in the main essentials, they were similar, if 
not the same. Even were they found to have been prac¬ 
tically the same, it would not be at all surprising when 
we remember the striking resemblances in other respects 
and that, in medieval times, craftsmen often went from 
one country to another in search of work and experience, 
and had, no doubt, considerable intercourse with each 
other in this way. 

(b) An Oath of Secrecy .—On this point we do not 
need to dwell. In all the secret organisations, from the 
ancient mysteries down to the present day, the oath of 
secrecy has been and is an indispensable condition of 
membership. 

(c) Exclusive Meetings .—This naturally follows the 
condition of secrecy for, of course, an oath of secrecy 
would be useless unless all who were not members of 
the society were excluded. 

(d) Grades, or Degrees .—All the accounts we have 
of the ancient mysteries agree in stating that there were 
two, or more, grades of initiates. To-day, we find the 
same thing existing in our masonic fraternity. This we 
naturally expect to find in secret institutions and, more 
particularly, in those that profess to cultivate moral and 
mental progress. Knowledge and Wisdom are attained 
step by step and we naturally expect the classes to be 


SUMMARY 


185 


graded in every school. In the ancient mysteries the 
Mystse were those “who had been initiated only into the 
lesser mysteries, and were therefore permitted to pro¬ 
ceed no further than the vestibule, or porch, of the 
Temple” (see Mackey’s Lexicon). To-day, an Appren¬ 
tice Freemason is, also, said to be in the Porch; and the 
Apprentice lodge is, mystically, held in the Porch of 
King Solomon’s Temple. But neither in the ancient 
times, nor in the Middle Ages, we feel sure, were there 
the number of degrees that have, in comparatively recent 
years, sprung up like mushrooms, claiming a connection 
with masonry. There are fairly clear indications, how¬ 
ever, that the members of all the organisations we have 
been considering were graded into two or three classes, or 
degrees, and they appear to have had more sense on this 
point than their modern successors. 

(e) Ceremonies Representing Life, Death , Immor¬ 
tality, and 

(f) Instruction by Symbol and Allegory. —These two 
points, although distinct from each other, are so closely 
related in idea that it will, perhaps, be an advantage to 
consider them together. Carlyle says, in his “Sartor 
Resartus”: “In the symbol proper, what we can call 
a symbol, there is ever, more or less distinctly and di¬ 
rectly, some embodiment and revelation of the Infinite; 
the Infinite is made to blend itself with the Finite, to 
stand visible, and, as it were, attainable there. By sym¬ 
bols, accordingly, is man guided and commanded, made 
happy, made wretched. He everywhere finds himself 
encompassed with symbols, recognised as such or not 
recognised: the universe is but one vast symbol of God; 
nay, if thou wilt have it, what is man himself but a 
symbol of God? . . . Let but the Godlike manifest itself 
to sense; let but eternity look, more or less visibly, 
through the Time-Figure (Zeitbild) ! Then is it fit that 


186 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


men unite there, and worship together before such sym¬ 
bol; and so from day to day, and from age to age, super¬ 
add to it new divineness.” 

The ceremonies of all the ancient mysteries, however 
much corrupted they became in their later stages, taught 
originally the doctrines of one God and the immortality 
of the soul; the inherent beauty of truth and virtue, the 
ugliness of falseness and vice; and the duty of mutual 
love and benevolence. These doctrines and duties were 
evidently inculcated by symbols and allegories. Some 
of the noblest and most cultured minds of those times, 
who were initiated, have left their impressions of the 
ceremonies of the mysteries on record, in terms of rever¬ 
ence and praise. The outstanding features of these cere¬ 
monies were their representations of Sacrifice, Death, and 
Immortality, and in this they correspond with modem 
speculative masonry. We have no means of knowing 
their details nor the exact symbols used in them, whether 
masonic or otherwise. 

It is generally admitted that there was a close connec¬ 
tion between the mysteries and the builders of the 
Temples in which those were enacted. The training of 
the builders of these sacred Temples would, no doubt, 
embrace some course of moral and mental exercise. In 
a period so permeated with symbolism, and with an inti¬ 
mate association with the mysteries, we can scarcely 
imagine that these builders would not utilise the rich 
symbolism of their operative craft in the training and 
educating of their apprentices. Their operative work 
was stupendous in conception and in execution. The 
very ruins of the ancient temples awaken awe and ad¬ 
miration. The architects of these must have been highly 
trained, and we hold the workmen, also, must have been 
trained and educated. While we may have outstripped 
the ancients in a more exact scientific knowledge of na- 


SUMMARY 


187 


ture, we are not in philosophy their superiors, and, per¬ 
haps, we are not their equals. There is much to be said 
in favour of the Rev. A. F. A. Woodford’s theory that 
there was a kinship '‘between the secret reception of the 
building confraternities and the ‘mysteries’; and that the 
peculiar conditions of preparation, probation and recep¬ 
tion, which were inseparable from the ‘mysteries,’ were 
incorporated into the customs of the Operative Masons.” 
We find, according to Dr. Mackey, that to “the Fraternity 
of Dionysian Architects was exclusively confined the 
privilege of erecting temples and other public buildings”; 
also, that they “were linked together by the secret ties 
of the Dionysian Mysteries, into which they had all been 
initiated.” Dr. Mackey goes on to state that this Frater¬ 
nity had many striking resemblances to modern masonry, 
that they were distinguished by the exercise of charity; 
by being divided into lodges governed by Masters and 
Wardens; by employing within their ceremonies many 
of the implements of the Craft; and by having a uni¬ 
versal language which served to distinguish a brother in 
the dark as well as in the light, and which united them 
over India, Persia, and Syria. At the time of the build¬ 
ing of King Solomon’s Temple at Jerusalem the existence 
of this Fraternity in Tyre, according to the same author, 
“is universally admitted, and Hiram, the widow’s son 
. . . was, doubtless, one of its members.” The Rev. A. 
C. L. Arnold says, with reference to the Cabirian Mys¬ 
teries, “These rites were spread through all the cities of 
Syria. Hiram, the King of Tyre, was undoubtedly a 
High Priest of the Mysteries.” The grounds for these 
statements the authors do not give, but, being men of 
learning, they have no doubt something to go on. All 
we can say is, there is nothing that we know, or see, im¬ 
probable in these statements. 

Now, tradition is a thing you cannot kill. It fills a 


188 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


void in the human heart and mind, especially in periods 
where men live in semi-barbarous conditions, as did the 
Masons of the Middle Ages. Their leisure hours would, 
no doubt, be filled up with song and story of the past, 
and their imaginations delighted with fabulous descrip¬ 
tions of the great achievements of departed heroes. It 
is impossible to imagine that, with the breaking up of 
the Collegia, everything connected with the past was de¬ 
stroyed. In the minds of the craftsmen the traditions of 
their craft would linger. Along with a knowledge of 
the work, its various legends and traditions would, no 
doubt, be handed down, and thus later on, we find in 
connection with the masonic craft the various extraordi¬ 
nary traditions contained in the Old Charges. These, like 
traditions generally, are, no doubt, more or less incorrect 
in detail, yet they probably are true in general substance, 
and not such exaggerations as we would at first sight sup¬ 
pose. With these traditions and legends there would 
doubtless be transmitted from the ancient mysteries a 
certain amount of what we know as speculative masonry 
•—or symbolic moral teaching, and in this way the cor¬ 
respondences existing between modern masonry and the 
ancient mysteries may be rationally explained. 

(g) Tradition Connected with Operative Building and 
Especially with That of King Solomon's Temple. —Re¬ 
semblances between societies far separated by space and 
time are not uncommon in history. Similar conditions 
and environments cause similar forms to develop and, 
hence, no doubt, the reason for the very many theories as 
to the origin of Freemasonry. But, in the absence of di¬ 
rect proof, either for or against a theory, the resemblances 
may be so striking and so many, as to produce a clear 
conviction of identity, even where the names are different 
and the connection has not been established. Bro. Gould 
places, and we think rightly places, great importance on 


SUMMARY 


189 


the possession of a common tradition. The traditions of 
the building of the Temple at Jerusalem are common to 
the Companionage, the Stein-Metzen, and the Old Craft 
Lodges, and there is a strong similarity in the character 
of these traditions. They could only come down from 
ancient times, through the Roman Collegia. The Tyrian 
workmen and others engaged at the Temple when they 
dispersed at its completion, would, no doubt, carry these 
traditions with them, and the connection between the 
builders and the mysteries in the Collegia, of which we 
have here and there a glimpse, would produce the sin¬ 
gular mixture that we find in “The Old Charges” of 
Hebrew and Classic names in connection with the Craft. 
If traditions in common count for anything, it seems that 
the Companionage of France, the Stein-Metzen of Ger¬ 
many, and the Old British Craft Lodges, must have had 
a common origin, and that must have been the Roman 
Collegia. It is the only parent visible on the pages of 
history, and it forms the connecting link between the 
ancient mysteries, the builders of King Solomon’s Temple 
and our modern speculative masonry. 

There are several other characteristic points, such as 
the exclusion of women, no compulsion to join, or to 
remain in, the society; perfect equality of membership, 
enquiry into the character of candidates for admission, 
formal rites of initiation, etc. But these details the dili¬ 
gent student will find comprehensively dealt with in Bro. 
Gould’s History, and there he will find ample recompense 
for careful study. 


(2) Conclusion. 

What, then, is the conclusion we come to in connection 
with the origin of Free or Speculative Masonry? It is 
a subject on which no one can presume to dogmatise. 


190 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


The only clear point is that, since 1717, its organisation 
has, with certain exceptional developments and modifi¬ 
cations, been practically the same. Previous to that time, 
our information is hazy in character and limited in de¬ 
tails ; and the further back we go the less certain the path¬ 
way becomes, until it gets lost in the mists of antiquity. 

The propagation of life in Nature appears to present 
an analogy to the propagation of truth in the world of 
Humanity. Life is ever seeking new environments and 
more favourable conditions in which to multiply and de¬ 
velop. Truth is ever seeking fresh fields, in which to 
grow and spread itself abroad. With both, new forms 
are constantly being evolved and, in the struggle for 
existence, it is the fittest that survive. Thus, the truths 
contained in the symbolism of the ancient mysteries and 
inherent in the symbolism of the work and instruments 
of masonry, may have been carried down through the 
Collegia, and the Guilds to the Old Operative Lodges. In 
the testing and trying circumstances of the Middle Ages, 
and by the natural influences of time, some of the forms 
would be modified, some would die, and those only would 
survive that had the vital strength of eternal truth. When 
the fresh influences of the Reformation period arrived, 
and the spirit of intellectual freedom stirred the hearts 
and the minds of men, the symbolic significance and 
beauty still remaining in the rude ceremonies of the ma¬ 
sonic craft would attract attention. Gradually, no doubt, 
but surely, the ceremonies would evolve from rude ele¬ 
mentary into higher and more advanced forms. There 
would probably be a struggle, during this period of new 
birth, between the old school and the new, until the latter 
triumphed in the formation of the Grand Lodge in 1717. 

Since the establishment of the speculative system in 
that period, there has been a slow but gradual develop¬ 
ment of the symbolism of the Craft, and the struggle still 


SUMMARY 


191 


goes on. There are many errors in our ceremonies to be 
corrected, and not a few rude customs to be abolished, 
before our lodges can become what they ought to be, 
schools, in which men may learn the ways of right living 
and high thinking. The convival element has hitherto 
occupied too prominent a position in it, and has to be 
subordinated to its right place. Refreshment for a man 
is not meant for mere selfish enjoyment, or animal grati¬ 
fication. Its function is to cheer and encourage him on 
the road to something better, to draw out love and fellow¬ 
ship, in rational and pleasant intercourse; and thus brace 
and strengthen him for true labour. The beautiful sym¬ 
bolism of our Craft has not yet got full nor free play. 
Our Masters have to understand that they must take pains 
to learn, ere they presume to teach; and our members 
have to understand that passing through “degrees” does 
not make them masons, in the proper and higher sense of 
the term. 








PART III: THE LANDMARKS OF 
SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


“To the solid ground 

Of nature trusts the mind that builds for aye.” 

— Wordsworth. 


“Men in the street and mart 
Felt the same kinship of the human heart 
That makes them, in the face of flame and flood, 

Rise to the meaning of true brotherhood.” 

— Anonymous. 

“When you know, to know that you know; 

And when you do not know, to know that you do 
Not know—that is true knowledge.” 

—“ Confucius” by Lionel Giles, M.A. 

“Nature knows no pause in progress and development, and 
attaches her curse on all inaction.”— Goethe. 

“The proof of a system, the guarantee of its truth, lies not 
in its beginning, but in its end; not in its foundation-stone, but 
in its key-stone.”— Rothe. 


PART III: THE LANDMARKS OF 
SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Chapter I 

THE NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF THE 
LANDMARKS 

(i) What Landmarks Are. 

Among masons there is no word more common, and less 
understood, than that of “landmarks.” The importance 
of knowing these is acknowledged by all; a knowledge 
of them is held but by few. As ignorance is the prolific 
mother of evil and the sure barrier of progress, so, no 
doubt, the prevalent ignorance of them within our Order 
is a hindrance to its well-being and advancement. In a 
period like the present, full of rapid changes and unex¬ 
pected developments, correct conceptions of our land¬ 
marks are especially needed. Everywhere within our 
Craft we see the stirrings and the strivings of a new 
life seeking an enlarged environment. This energy has 
to be guided that it may not dissipate itself in building 
sand-castles, which the fluctuating tides of life will wash 
away; and that it may be conserved, concentrated and 
consecrated in building up the Great Temple of Human¬ 
ity—for which end the mason lodge exists. 

A knowledge of the landmarks, it seems to us, will be 
of service in guiding the new forces which have been 
developed in our midst, and this consideration induces 
the choice of this subject at the present time; in the hope 
195 


196 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


that we may be helpful to our less experienced brethren, 
in forming in their minds some definite idea of these 
landmarks; in guiding their energies towards much 
needed reforms, and in preserving the fundamental prin¬ 
ciples and features of our ancient institution. 

In all ages stones, pillars, or other things have been 
erected to show the boundary lines between different coun¬ 
tries, between the territories of different tribes, and the 
possessions of different individuals. These stones were 
called landmarks and, as their preservation was of im¬ 
portance, severe penalties were attached to their illegal 
removal and alteration. 

A landmark had not only to be put up, it had also to 
be recognised as such. This recognition formed the es¬ 
sence of its authority, and the longer it remained, the 
more sacred it became. 

In the course of time, a change in the boundary line 
between the possessions of two individuals, or of two 
nations, becoming mutually desirable, the old landmarks 
were removed and new landmarks were erected. 

It was not necessary that a landmark, in the first place, 
should be marked by official authority. It often happened 
that the place was, for generations, a mutually recognised 
boundary line by the interested parties, and the setting 
up of the official landmark afterwards was simply the 
legal form of recognising an established fact. 

In speculative masonry, landmarks are certain estab¬ 
lished usages and customs, occupying the position which 
usage and custom do in a community. Politically, these 
are termed “common law”; masonically, they are termed 
“landmarks.” 

As in common law, no usage nor custom can overrule 
the principle of Equity; so, in masonry, no custom nor 
usage can overrule the fundamental principle of the 
Square. 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 197 


Common law in a community has all the force of 
statute law, and the landmarks in masonry have all the 
force of a Grand Lodge Law. 

But, while a landmark must be an established usage 
or custom, it does not follow that an established usage 
or custom is a landmark. It must, in addition, perform 
the function of a landmark; that is, mark out, more or 
less clearly, a boundary or dividing line between two 
territories or possessions. This is an important point 
and should be carefully noted, and all the more so, as 
some writers on the subject have failed to notice the 
distinction and have taken landmarks to be synonymous 
with usage and custom. A custom may have existed from 
time immemorial among masons, and it may continue 
to the end of time, and never become a landmark. For 
instance, it has doubtless been a custom with masons, 
from the time of Moses, to blow their noses, but that 
custom does not make the blowing of the nose a land¬ 
mark. It is not the custom in itself, it is the purpose it 
serves—the function it performs—that makes it a land¬ 
mark. The stone set up at the boundary of a country 
may, in kind and character, be quite common. It is the 
purpose it serves that gives to it importance, and entitles 
it to the name of landmark. 

From these observations, the landmarks in masonry 
may be defined as certain established usages and customs 
that mark out the boundary line of the masonic world, in 
its internal divisions and in its external relations to the 
outer world. 

To pursue this enquiry, it is necessary to keep in view 
the motive idea and the process of the evolution of 
masonry. Any one acquainted with it, if at all of a 
thoughtful disposition, must have observed that its or¬ 
ganisation is remarkably well adapted to the object it has 
in view. This adaptation has been the result of gradual 


198 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


growth, and has not been the conception of any individ¬ 
ual, age, or race. 

In the sixteenth century the great religious reformation 
took place in Europe. Religious forms had become so 
degraded, and so overlaid with superstition that the 
human mind revolted from them. The demand for 
reformation set up a spirit of enquiry and freedom that 
spread itself in every direction. The light of knowledge 
moved on the face of the deep of humanity, and a new 
epoch in history began. Out of old forms and dogmas— 
theological and scientific—higher and nobler forms were 
evolved, and human thought and life ascended to a higher 
plane. 

It is in this period the old Craft mason-lodges first ap¬ 
pear in history proper. Previous to that, our knowledge 
of them is of a very meagre and vague character, but, im¬ 
mediately after the Reformation, we find them with non¬ 
operative, as well as operative members; and, in some 
cases, with the majority of their members non-operative. 
It is scarcely possible to believe that, amid the commo¬ 
tion and upheaval produced by the Reformation in 
Europe, the influence of its spirit did not penetrate and 
make itself felt within the inner circle of these old lodges. 
It seems more than probable that, during the interval 
between the Reformation and the beginning of the mod¬ 
ern organisation in 1717, there was a gradual evolution 
of the present speculative, out of the old operative, sys¬ 
tem; and that the spirit of the Reformation was an im¬ 
portant factor in this evolution. 

Although, in almost every detail, the masonic order has 
undergone changes from time to time, there is one point 
on which it has never changed—the central motive idea 
of its existence—the building of a divine Temple and, for 
that end, the formation of a human lodge. This idea is 
no longer that of a material Temple. It has become 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 199 


idealised and spiritualised. It is no longer of stone, nor 
is its glory that of King Solomon’s at Jerusalem. It is 
a Temple more glorious still—an Ideal Temple of en¬ 
nobled humanity, wrought into perfect form and made 
a dwelling-place for The Most High. 

This motive idea has created round about itself our 
present organisation, and what we call the landmarks are 
certain customs which have been formed and established 
in the process. To be understood, therefore, all our land¬ 
marks must be viewed in relation to* the primary motive 
idea of the Order; and it may be held, as an infallible 
guide in this enquiry, that anything not in harmony with 
it cannot be a landmark in masonry. 

As of old, the first thing towards the erection of a 
sacred structure was the formation of a lodge, or work¬ 
shop, in which the material was prepared and wrought 
into form fit for the building; so, to-day, the first thing 
in speculative masonry is the formation of a human 
lodge, in which to prepare the material for the Ideal 
Temple. 

The conditions of human society at present are not 
in harmony with the masonic ideal. Hence it is neces¬ 
sary to exclude “the outer world,” and to create a new 
environment. This inner world, or lodge, embodies an 
ideal of universal brotherhood and peace. It has east 
and west, north and south, to indicate the world-wide, 
all-embracing, character of its purpose. Its principles of 
union are not those that bind ordinary human society, 
viz.: selfish instinct, interest, and force—they are Love, 
Benevolence and Truth. 

The idea presented to us in masonic symbolism, is that 
the material for the Temple should be selected from the 
quarries of ordinary humanity and, in the lodge, worked 
into the form, suited for the building. By degrees, these 
living stones are prepared and shaped until they reach 


200 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


the stage of immortal mastership, wherein the rough 
desires and earthly passions die and disappear, and then, 
like perfect ashlars, they are raised to their place in the 
great Temple. 

(2) The Divisions of the Landmarks. 

By some masonic authors, the landmarks have been 
detailed in a most extraordinary manner. Laurence Der- 
mott in his “Ahiman Rezon” (1756), and a century'after- 
wards, Dr. Mackey in his “Encyclopaedia,” set down, as 
landmarks, things which investigation shows could not 
possibly be such. For a long time, many of the land¬ 
marks mentioned by well-known writers were not merely 
verbal inaccuracies, they were often deceptive inventions. 
The idea seems to have possessed those authors that ficti¬ 
tious tinsel would glorify the Order, and that the outer 
world would accept the gilt as pure gold. It is only in 
recent times that this posing before the public eye has 
been abandoned, and that investigations into the history 
of masonry have been conducted on real honest lines. 
Brothers Hughan, Murray-Lyon, Gould, and others, by 
their careful researches and unswerving loyalty to truth, 
have established a new school of masonic literature that 
commands respect, where the older school received the 
contempt which it richly deserved. 

But while we thus condemn those grandiloquent writers 
who propagated, without investigation, monstrous fables 
as masonic history, let us not make the mistake of refus¬ 
ing to give to rational inference its just place. We know 
in part only, even of those things passing before our 
eyes. We cannot see all round, and there are things, 
the existence of which we can only infer. There are 
many things in history of whose existence we have little 
proof. Is it not as legitimate for the historian to con- 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 201 


struct a scene, or a series of events, from one fact, as a 
physiologist to construct an animal from one bone? It 
altogether depends on the knowledge and ability of the 
historian, and we accept his theory in proportion to our 
faith in him. The dry bones of fact are, sometimes, quite 
as poor fare as the gaudy plumes of imagination, and 
the historian who contents himself with the one, creates 
the appetite for the other. 

The landmarks naturally group themselves into Four 
Main Divisions, each of which contains three sections. 
These Divisions and Sections are as follows:— 

First Division. 

Usages that Mark the Masonic from the Outer World. 

Section A. A secret mode of recognition by its 
members. 

” B. The tyling of its lodge meetings. 

” C. The qualifications of its candidates. 

Second Division. 

Usages that Mark the Degrees of Masonry. 

Section A. A secret mode of recognising the mem¬ 
bers of one degree from those of 
another. 

99 B. The tyling of the meetings of a higher 
degree from the members of a lower 
one. 

” C. The conditions of advancement from 
one degree to another. 


202 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

Third Division. 

Usages that Mark the Various Ceremonies. 

Section A. The principal points in “Opening” and 
in “Closing” a lodge. 

” B. The principal points in “Entering,” 
“Passing,” and “Raising.” 

” C. The principal points in Consecration, 
Installation, Foundation-stone Lay¬ 
ing, and in Burial Service. 


Fourth Division. 

Usages that Mark Official Powers and Duties and Pri¬ 
vate Rights and Duties. 

Section A. The powers and duties of the Grand 
Master, and Grand Officers, and of 
the Grand Lodge. 

” B. The powers and duties of the Master, 
and Officers, and of the Lodge. 

” C. The rights and duties of private mem¬ 
bers. 

It is not possible here to deal with the landmarks in 
all their details. We propose rather to make a few ob¬ 
servations on those of them which appear to be of great¬ 
est interest and a knowledge of which would be most 
likely to prove useful. 

(3) First Division—Section A.—A Secret Mode of 
Recognition by Its Members. 

These are usually termed signs, words, and grips, or 
tokens. Murray-Lyon says (p. 22), “that a century after 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 203 


the promulgation of the Schaw Statutes (1598) 'the 
mason word' was wont occasionally to be imparted by 
individual brethren in a ceremony extemporised according 
to the ability of the initiator. The word is the only secret 
that is ever alluded to in the minutes of Mary’s Chapel, 
or in those of Kilwinning, Atcheson’s Haven, or Dun¬ 
blane, or any other that we have examined of a. date prior 
to the erection of the Grand Lodge. Liberty to 'give the 
mason word’ was the principal point in dispute between 
Mary’s Chapel and the Journeyman Lodge, which was 
settled by ‘decreet arbitral’ in 1715.” 

But that this “word” was more than a word, is evi¬ 
dent from the expression “the secrets of the mason 
word,” which is found in the minute book of Lodge 
Dunblane, and in the information contained in the min¬ 
utes of Lodge Haughfoot in 1707, that the word was 
accompanied by a grip. Besides this, it is a well ascer¬ 
tained fact that there were signs, words, and grips used 
as forms of recognition by the members of guilds at a 
very early period in the Christian era. In the Harleian 
MS. 2054, date, said to be, 1665, in the form of the oath 
there are these words: “There is seural ‘(several)’ words 
and signs of a Freemason to be revailed, &c.” Here, the 
words and signs are said to be several, which means, one 
would naturally suppose, more than one word and more 
than one sign. In the Swalwell Lodge Penal Orders No. 
8, it is enacted “If any be found not faithfully to keep 
and maintain the three fraternal signs and all points of 
fellowship and principal matters relating to the secret 
Craft, each offence, penalty 10—10 — 00.” In Dr. 
Plot’s account of the Freemasons 1686 a.d., we find the 
following, “they proceed to the admission of their Can¬ 
didates which chiefly consists in the communication of 
certain secret signs, whereby they are known to one an¬ 
other all over the nation.” In the Diary of Mr. John 


204 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Aubrey, R.S.S., under date 1691, we have the following 
entry, “They (the Freemasons) are known to one an¬ 
other by certyn signs and watch-words.” “The manner 
of their adoption is very formal and with an oath of 
secrecy. ,, 

From all these references, we think it is apparent that 
“the word” referred to in the minutes of the Scottish 
Lodges really meant the signs, words, and grips, or 
tokens. These, no doubt, were the secrets of the mason 
word referred to in the minute book of Lodge Dunblane. 
We are all familiar with the use of the word “word” in 
an extensive way. “His word is as good as his bond.” 
“Your word of honour.” “I sent him word of John’s 
coming.” In this way we do> not mean one word. We 
also refer to Scripture as the “word of God” and the 
Prophets of old and the Psalmists, in hundreds of in¬ 
stances, spoke of “the word of the Lord.” Then there 
is the mystic sense of the “word” as used by the Hebrews 
and also by the Greeks. The Caldee Paraphrasts, the 
most ancient of Jewish writers, used the word 
“memra,” which signifies the word, in those places where 
Moses puts the name Jehovah. 1 The evangelist John, 
whose mental atmosphere was dominated by Greek 
culture, begins his gospel with the phrase, “In the begin¬ 
ning was the word and the word was with God, and the 
word was God.” But we must not proceed further on 
this point, although it offers a most tempting field for 
the masonic student. It is too extensive to be dealt with 
in any other way than by a special paper, after special 
study. In what has been said, however, we think it will 
be readily admitted that the expression “the mason word ” 
used in the old records of Scottish Lodges referred to a 
great deal more than one word, and, in all probability, 
meant the whole arcana of the Craft. It is evident, also, 

1 Cruden’s Concordance, Students’ edition. 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 205 


that as far back as written history can take us, this land¬ 
mark of a “Secret mode of recognition by its members,” 
was as prominent then, as it is to-day, in our Order. But, 
while this is the case, so far as the landmark generally is 
concerned, it does not follow that in its details it is the 
same. It occupies the same position, but the inevitable 
change that takes place in everything on earth has altered 
and modified its form, just as a stone landmark would 
have changed in the course of centuries. As a matter 
of fact, we know that our words, signs, and tokens have 
been changed and modified, and some of these changes 
have been made within the last forty years. But the land¬ 
mark still stands, as of old, marking off the masonic from 
the outer world. 

This landmark is an indispensable one. As the mem¬ 
bers of our Order live and mingle with human society 
generally, it is necessary to have means whereby they 
may know and distinguish each other from those who 
are not members. The mode of recognition is secret not 
by any desire to be secret. It is so by necessity. Without 
this landmark, how could the plan of masonry be carried 
out? If the Temple is to be built the stones must be 
selected, and separated from the rock in the quarries. 
They have to be wrought into shape in accordance with 
the plan, and have their distinguishing mark, that they 
may be known and built together. It must be this, or 
the whole plan and constitution of the Order must be 
altered. 

(4) First Division—Section B.—The Tyling of the 
Lodge. 

The next leading landmark is that of the tyling of 
lodge meetings. Tyling is the isolating of the lodge from 
the outer world, and the reason that underlies it is the 


206 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


same as that we have referred to in the previous section. 
If the meetings were not “tyled” from non-masons, the 
secret mode of recognition could not be kept secret, and 
the plan of masonry could not be carried out. That plan, 
as previously mentioned, makes the lodge the workshop, 
where the selected material is to be worked into the form 
fitted for the Temple. It is, under these circumstances, 
essential that all unsuitable, unselected material should be 
excluded, and that all who are admitted should be able 
and willing to engage in the work. The “tyling” of a 
lodge is equivalent to the notice you see at the entrance 
of almost every workshop, “No admittance except on 
business.” It is perfectly reasonable that every precau¬ 
tion should be taken to exclude opponents who would 
destroy the work and idlers who would hinder it. The 
workshop must be for workers. The lodge must be for 
masons. 

The tyling of a lodge consists of three Cares, (i) 
Tyling from the outer world. (2) Tyling from within. 
(3) Tyling from the neglect and incapacity of office¬ 
bearers. 

The exercise of these Cares in the Opening Ceremony 
might, perhaps, receive more attention than it generally 
does from the masters of lodges. On this point the Grand 
Lodge, through the Provincial Grand Lodges, might ef¬ 
fect a much needed reform. Before beginning this useful 
work, however, the Grand Lodge would be well advised 
to inform itself thoroughly as to the aim and object of 
these Cares, and the best manner of exercising them. 

(5) First Division—Section C.—The Qualifications of 
Candidates. 

The present qualifications are: “A man, free born, 
sound in mind and body, of full age, and under the tongue 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 207 


of good report/’ Those who are debarred, or disquali¬ 
fied, are “A woman, a man in dotage, or non-age, an 
atheist, a libertine, and a fool, or imbecile.” 

On the vexed question of women being eligible in the 
old lodges for membership there has been considerable 
discussion. The oldest of the York MSS. (No. 5 in 
Gould’s series) reads in describing the manner of taking 
an oath, “teneat Librum ut ille veil ille,” etc., which 
means “held the book and he or they,” etc. In MS. 
No. 25, however, which is a translation of the above 
Latin version, the “he or they” appears erroneously as 
“he or shee.” Referring to the old guilds, Gould says 
(Vol. i, p. 90), “Not one out of a hundred but recruited 
their ranks from both sexes.” There are many instances 
where women were freely admitted tO' membership in 
these guilds, but there are no records of such admissions 
into masonic lodges . It is true, in the minutes of “Mary’s 
Chapel Lodge” it is written, under date 17th April, 1683, 
“The whilk day, in presence of Thomas Hamiltone, 
deakone, and John Harrvy, warden, and remanant 
Masters of the mason craft, in corroboratione of the 
former practise, quhich was of use and wont amongst 
them, it is statute and ordained that it shall be in no 
tyme, or in no wayes, leithsome for a widow to undertake 
workes or to imploy jurneymen in any maner or way 

.providing alwayes that they bespeake some 

freeman by whose advyse and concur ranee the workes 
shall be undertaken,” etc. This is the only known record 
in lodge minutes of a woman being admitted to the privi¬ 
leges of our Craft, and, so far as we are aware, there is 
no evidence of any admittance to membership, or to a 
knowledge of the secrets within the lodge. The privileges 
here granted were purely operative, and the grounds on 
which they were granted were that her husband had been 
a member of the Craft, just as to-day a lodge grants an 



208 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


annuity to a widow, whose claim is based on the mem¬ 
bership of her husband. Some writers have expressed 
the opinion that women were admitted into the old opera¬ 
tive lodges, but so far they have not advanced a single 
proof in support of their theory. On the whole, we may 
safely assume that, so far as the masonic lodges were 
concerned, “the lovely dears/’ as Burns called them, have 
never graced the tyled precincts of the real mason lodge. 

The qualification of “freeborn,” is referred to in the 
old MSS. In modern times, especially in America, the 
application of this landmark has been much discussed. 
A man may have been born a slave, yet attain his freedom 
and possess all the qualifications necessary for making 
a good mason, why should he be excluded? Let us see 
what the old MSS. say on this point. 

The oldest of the British MSS. is acknowledged by the 
highest authorities to be that known as the Halliwell MS., 
said to have been written in the 14th century, and ap¬ 
parently composed from the earlier writings. In the 5th 
and 7th of the Articles of that MS. it is enacted: “The 
prentes be of lawful blod,” and “have his lymes (limbs) 
hole.” “Schal no thef accept, lest hyt wolde turne.the 
Craft to schame.” In the Harleian MS. (17th Century) 
we find, “That no p’son shal bee accepted a Freemason, 
but such as are of able body, honest parentage, good repu- 
tacon and observes of the Laws of the Land.” The 
Buchanan MS. (17 Century) among its Charges contains 
the following (4) “And, also, that noe Master nor Fellow 
take any Apprentice to bee allowed to bee his Apprentice 
any longer than seven years and the Apprentice to bee 
able of birth and limbs as hee ought to bee.” (5) “And 
also that noe Master, nor Fellow, shall take any allow¬ 
ance, to bee allowed to make any Freemason without the 
consent of sixe, or five, att the least, of his Fellows, and 
that they bee free borne and of good kindred and not a 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 209 


bondman and that hee have his right limbs as a man 
ought to have.” In the Edinburgh Kilwinning MS. (17th 
Century) we find almost an exact copy of the foregoing. 
It runs as follows, “And also that no Master nor Fellow 
take no prentice but for the term of sevin years. And 
that the prentice be able of birth; that is to say, free 
born; and whose limbs as a man ought to be.” Further 
on, this is amplified in this way, “And that he, which shall 
be made a Mason, be able in all manner of degrees; that 
is to say, free born, come of good kindred, true, and no 
bondman. And also, that he have his right limbs, as a 
man ought to have.” In the Old Minute book of the 
lodge Atcheson Haven of date 17th May, 1666, we have 
“that prenteis be able of birth and linage as he ought to 
be.” “And they that sail be Masones be free born, not 
a bondman, but of good kindred and have his lyne 
(“limbs”) as a man ought to have.” 

There are many such records which might be quoted, 
all varying, more or less, in detail, but, in substance essen¬ 
tially the same. As Bro. Gould wisely observes in his 
history, “the laws for the guidance of the Craft in King 
Athelstan’s reign, or later, were not intended to be final, 
but, alterable according to the necessities of the Craft, 
provided always that the spirit of the society was pre¬ 
served; hence, the regulations which enacted that the 
candidates for masonry must be free born and have their 
limbs whole, were no more absolute and unalterable than 
were those which required an apprentice to serve seven 
years, etc.” 

There is a meaning in connection with the word “free 
born,” which, so far as we have observed, has not yet 
been advanced. May it not be “free-borne”? Both 
words have the same root and, three hundred years ago, 
were written and probably were pronounced in the same 
way. The word “borne” is the past participle of “bear,” 


210 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


to carry, and it means carried, or impelled, forward. 
Thus, the candidate must be “borne” or “born” into our 
Order freely; and this harmonises with the condition irm 
plied in the well-known phrase, “his own free will and 
accord.” We throw this remark out, not as a settled 
opinion, but for consideration. 

Of Full Age .—We should note particularly that this 
landmark does not define the age. This is the case with 
landmarks generally. They leave the details to the dis¬ 
cretion of each period and country, according to circum¬ 
stances. In this country, until a very recent period, the 
age was 18 years. Now it is 21. In some countries, 
however, the age is 18. In England in 1721 the Gen¬ 
eral Regulations enacted that “No man under the age of 
25 is to be made a Mason.” The age is now 21. Under 
these circumstances, the practice of obligating a candi¬ 
date not to be present at the initiation of any one under 
the age of 21 years, is most reprehensible. It debars 
him, when visiting a lodge working under a constitution 
in which the full age is 18, from remaining during the 
ceremony of initiation, if the candidate is under 21 years. 
The Grand Lodge, to-morrow, might revert to the 18 
years. What then would be the position of members who 
have been obligated not to be present at the initiation of 
any person under 21 years? “Verbum sat Sapienti.” 

Regarding the question of age, the Old MSS. do not, 
so far as we have noticed, particularise. They, in some 
cases, use the phrase “of full age ” but nothing beyond 
that. Each lodge, in the old days, evidently settled this 
point for itself, as it settled everything not specified in 
the Old Charges. The framers of the old rules were very 
wise in many respects. They left a certain elasticity in 
these so that they might be adjusted to varied circum¬ 
stances and conditions. In this, we moderns are apt 
to be very foolish and, in trying to make a cast-metal 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 211 


law to fit all circumstances and conditions, are very apt 
to get one that fits none. Let us remember that wisdom 
allows for variation, and nature never tolerates dead uni¬ 
formity. 

Under the Tongue of Good Report .—It is to be re¬ 
gretted that this landmark is not more carefully observed 
and respected. We are often more anxious about the 
fees, than about the character of the applicant, and forget 
that there are men who are no more capable of being 
good masons, than a pudding-stone is qualified to become 
a perfect ashlar. The operative mason cannot make a 
bad stone good, and hence he carefully selects his ma¬ 
terial. Masonry does not pretend to change a bad man 
into a good one, but it will make a good man better, and 
it requires a good man to be a good mason. 

(6) Second Division—Section C.—The Conditions of 
Advancement. 

The word “degree” is not to be understood as mean¬ 
ing, when applied to ancient times, what it generally im¬ 
plies to us to-day. It may, or may not, have been asso¬ 
ciated with special ceremonies and secrets, but it may be 
taken as absolutely certain that, if so, they were not as 
we have them now. In connection with the old records 
the Apprentice, the Fellow, and the Master are names of 
operative grades, more than speculative degrees; although 
we hold the opinion that the speculative element was not 
absent. 

Regarding the conditions of advancement from one 
degree to another we find the following in the Schaw 
Statutes in 1598:— 

“It shall not be lesum to mak the said prenteiss brother 
and fellow in the Craft, vnto the tyme that he haif seruit 
the space of vther sevin yeirs efter the ische of his said 


212 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


prenteischip, wt-out ane speciall licenc grantit be the 
wardeneis, dekynes and maisteris assemblit for that caus 
and that sufficient try all be tane of thair worthy nes, quali- 
ficatioun and skill of the persone that desyris to be mid 
fallow in Craft.” . . . “Providing alwayis that na man 
be admittit wt-out ane essay and sufficient tryall of his 
skill and worthynes in his vocatioun and Craft.” . . . 

Also: “It is ordainit that all fallows of Craft ... be 
not admitted without ane sufficient essay and pruife of 
memorie and art of Craft.” 

The records of the Lodge of Atcheson’s Haven contain 
a minute on 27th December, 1722, as follows:— 

“The which day that companie being convened feind- 
ing a great loss of the Entered Prentises not being tried 
every St. John's day, thinks it fit for the futter (future) 
that he who is Warden (or any of the Company who* he 
shall call to assist him) shall every St. John’s day, in 
the morning try every Entered Prentis that was entered 
the St. John’s day before, under the penalty of on croun 
to the box.” 

In the records of Lodge Aberdeen, 1670, it is ordained 
“that none of our lodge teach or instruct ane entered 
prentise untill such tyme as he be perfyted be his intender 
under the faylzie of being fyned as the company thinks 
fit, but when his intender and his mate give him over as 
being taught, then any person hath libertie to teach him 
anything he forgetes, but if the entered prentise when he 
is interrogat at our public meetings, forgate anything that 
has been taught him, in that case he must pay for it as 
the company thinks fit, except he can prove that he was 
never taught such a thing and then his intender must 

PAY FOR HIM.” 

The minutes of the Lodge Dunblane, in 1725, define 
the duty of the intender to be “the perfecting of appren¬ 
tices so that they might be fitt for their future tryalls.” 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 213 


The records of the old lodges have many references as 
to the testing and examination of apprentices and crafts¬ 
men, but we need not labour on a point that is so clearly 
self-evident in the very constitution of our Craft. It is 
graduated into ranks, or degrees, and it is laid down as a 
condition of advancement that the apprentice must show 
“suitable proficiency in a knowledge of the Craft.” The 
fact that “intenders” or instructors, were regularly ap¬ 
pointed in the old lodges to instruct the apprentices and 
prepare them for their trial, is a plain evidence that there 
was an examination, or trial. The word, “Passed,” in 
connection with the Craft degree, clearly indicates some 
trial or examination. 

The appointment of instructors has for a century and 
a half obtained in the Lodge “Peebles,” and for a century 
and a quarter in the Lodge “Leven St. John.” Well do 
we remember the care and devoted attention of our old 
instructor who was a past master and a master-mason of 
50 years’ experience. It is our conviction, from a 47 
years’ connection with the Craft, that the dropping of 
the ancient office of intender or instructor has been a 
serious loss which nothing else can make good; and that 
its resuscitation would be of great benefit to the Order. 
But, to make it effective, we must also resuscitate the old 
landmark laid down in the Schaw Statute regarding the 
“passing” of the Fellow in the Craft, viz., “That suf¬ 
ficient TRYALL BE TANE OF THAIR WORTHYNES, QuALI- 
ficatiouns and Skill.” This condition of advance¬ 
ment, if properly enforced in our lodges, would produce 
a vast and much needed improvement in the knowledge 
of masonry among its members. 


214 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


(7) Third Division—Section A.—The Principal Points 
in “Opening” and in “Closing” a Lodge. 

The first point in these ceremonies is that of “Tyling” 
and it is a matter of regret that there does not exist a 
clearer idea generally of what it means. As a rule, it is 
thought that it is simply placing the T. outside. This 
is incorrect, for that is only the first of “The Three 
Cares” which make up the act of Tyling. But, even this 
one is not done so carefully as it ought to be. The 
direction given to the I.G. is to see that the T. is in his 
proper place, and to do so the I.G. would often require 
an X-ray power of vision, capable of piercing through 
an inch deal-board, hanging between two perpendiculars 
and two horizontals. He uses his ears, and not his eyes, 
and from certain sounds supposes that the T. and no 
other person, is in his place. The second Care is also 
often not properly attended to. The brethren should not 
stand to order like a file of soldiers standing to attention, 
at the word of command. The Second Care is the 
“Proving.” By “standing to order” he virtually says 
that all things are in order and, therefore, he should do 
so cautiously and with knowledge. When lodges were 
small, and the members all well known to each other, 
the exercise of this “Care” was not of the great im¬ 
portance it is at present. One good rule to remember in 
connection with “Tyling” is to see that those present have 
proven themselves, in a proper manner, before the X is 
given. The Third Care, seeing that the officers are in 
their proper places and know their duties—is, generally, 
fairly well exercised. These three Cares make up what 
is termed the “Tyling” of the lodge and form the first 
point in the opening. The other points are the “Con¬ 
stituting” and “Declaring.” The purpose of the 
“Constituting” is not always clearly shown. The ques- 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 215 


tions are sometimes asked “On what do masons meet?” 
and “In what do masons meet?” But the proof is sel¬ 
dom given that the lodge fulfils the conditions mentioned 
in the answers, and the purpose of this part of the cere¬ 
mony is not so plainly indicated, as it ought to be. The 
“Declaring” by the Master should be done with a fitting 
sense of the dignity and responsibility of the act. A per¬ 
functory manner and a hasty utterance often robs the 
Chair of its authority and lowers the tone of our Craft 
Ceremonies. 

Regarding The Closing Ceremony, we will only 
make a remark or two on the somewhat common practice 
of “Tyling,” by exercising the first and second Cares, and 
even sometimes exercising the third Care in the Closing 
Ceremony. So much so is this the case that when a lodge 
is being passed into the second degree, and then raised 
to the third degree, with the interval of a minute or 
so, the whole formula is repeated. Does not common 
sense at once challenge this, and ask for what reason are 
we slaves to form in this way? If some of our ancient 
brethren of a few centuries ago returned to this world 
and visited our lodges they would give a smile of sur¬ 
prise at this proceeding. There may have been a reason 
for this repetition of part of the opening ceremony at a 
time when conviviality was so intimately associated with 
masonry. The lodge was usually called to Refreshment, 
and an hour or two were thus spent, as many of the 
members had come some distance to the meeting. This 
necessarily entailed a relaxing of the usual masonic dis¬ 
cipline, and a going to and fro of the members. Before 
“Closing” therefore, as a precaution, the first and second 
Cares were again exercised. But does it not seem some¬ 
what absurd that when, or where, these conditions do not 
exist we should continue to use such a formula? It would 
be more reasonable to “Tyle,” whenever the ceremony of 


216 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


a degree is about to begin, or when an OB. is to be ad¬ 
ministered, as to do so when we are going to close im¬ 
mediately after work. If needed at all there is more need 
in the former than in the latter case. There is no ap¬ 
parent reason whatever to “Tyle” in the “Closing,” 
“Passing,” and “Raising” of the lodge, and more espe¬ 
cially when that has been done a few minutes previous. 
After “Opening” the lodge is “Tyled,” and the Tyler is 
at his duty, until relieved in due course. 

(8) Third Division—Section B.—The Principal Points 
in “Entering,” “Passing” and “Raising.” 

The Oath or Obligation is one of the most important 
of the Points in these Ceremonies. 

It is a safeguard of the right and privileges of masonry. 
The worthy only should be admitted to its advantages 
and, in order to secure these for the worthy, it is neces¬ 
sary that its members should be bound to withhold them 
from the unworthy. The obligations of masonry do' not 
keep the good from being better. They hinder the bad 
from doing harm. They do not interfere with the moral, 
civil, or religious duties of any man and are purely nega¬ 
tive in character. They form a covenant of brotherhood 
and the signs of that covenant are known to masons. 
There are certain minds who view all vows and obliga¬ 
tions with disfavour, if not with horror, and, at various 
periods in masonic history, the serious nature of the 
masonic obligations has been advanced as a charge against 
the Order, by both Church and State. Let us look into 
this matter for a little, for it is a point of some im¬ 
portance. The claim made by masonry is that it has cer¬ 
tain privileges, and that the only known way to preserve 
these is to obligate those who are entrusted with them. 
This method is not confined to masonry. It is adopted by 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 217 


mankind generally. The king takes the oath before he 
receives the crown. The minister is sworn before he re¬ 
ceives his portfolio, the soldier before he receives his 
colours, and the magistrate before he sits on the bench. 
In the Church too, solemn vows are required from its 
officials of all grades. Now, these vows, or oaths, or 
obligations, call them by whatsoever name you like, are 
all identical in this respect, they are meant to preserve the 
Church, the State, or the Society, as the case may be. 
Taking a common sense view, it will surely be granted 
that the objectors to these vows, or oaths, have no case 

UNTIL THEY CAN SHOW SOME OTHER METHOD THAT WILL 
SERVE THE PURPOSE IN VIEW EQUALLY WELL. But, it 

may be urged by others, we do not object to a vow, or 
oath, if it is just and right in itself. Is this the case with 
masonic obligations? Have they not been overlaid with 
unnecessary conditions, and useless verbiage? It is to 
be regretted that, in some places, this has actually taken 
place. Conditions—all self-evident excrescences—have 
been incorporated into the form of the obligation. Now, 
a reference to the ancient charges, and to the minutes of 
the old lodges, show that certain things, such as attend¬ 
ance, was subject to bye-laws varying in different lodges, 
but all having a money penalty attached. Is it likely, 
under such circumstances, to have been a part of the obli¬ 
gation ? Common sense and modern ideas go together in 
insisting on a simple form of obligation. It should be 
solemn, and, to be so, should be simple, plain, and 
direct. It should contain only a declaration of fidelity 
to the secrets, and to the Laws and Constitutions. To 
attach unnecessary conditions is not only absurd, it is 
also hurtful to the Order. It should be carefully pro¬ 
tected as a solemn and sacred act, and, to keep it so, it 
must be preserved from all ridiculous verbiage, absurd 
conditions, and impracticable duties. 


218 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


In reading the Old Charges, we have been much im¬ 
pressed with the simple and sensible form of the OB. 
as compared with that now common in some lodges. At 
present it is often involved, and is sometimes so faulty 
in grammatical construction that it binds the initiate to 
the very opposite of what is intended. In the part relat¬ 
ing to penalties it is often coarse and offensive, and the 
astonishing thing is, perhaps, not so much how it has 
come to be, as why sensible and intelligent masons tol¬ 
erate it. Certainly, there is nothing more clear in con¬ 
nection with masonic history than the testimony of the 
Old Charges to the fact that the form we refer to is a 
modern innovation, and is a monstrous corruption of the 
old OB. In no real masonic document is there found 
any warrant for it. 

Let us see what the Old Charges say on the subject. 
In the Buchanan MS. (1660 a.d.) we find:— 

Par. xxx.—“The manner of taking an oath at the mak¬ 
ing of Freemasons. ,, “Tunc unus ex seniorebus teneat 
librum, ut illi vel ille ponant vel ponat, manus supra 
librum tunc precepta debeant legi.” (Then one of the 
old members held the book, and he or they placed the 
hand above/on the book. Then they were charged with 
the precepts of the Law). 

Par. xxxiv.—“These charges that you have received 
you shall well and truly keepe, not disclosing the secresy 
of our lodge to man, woman nor child; sticke nor stone, 
thing movable nor immovable. Soe God you helpe and 
his holy Doome, Amen.” 

The Harleian MS. No. 1942 (about 1600) has the 
following OB.:— 

Par. xxxi.—“I, A.B., doe in the presence of A.G. and 
my fellowes and brethren here present, promise and de¬ 
clare, that I will not at any time hereafter by any act 
or circumstance whatsoever, directly or indirectly, pub- 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 219 

lish, discover, reveale or make knowne any of the secrets, 
priviledges or counsells of the Fraternity or Fellowship 
of Freemasonry, which at this time, or any time here¬ 
after, shall be made knowne unto me. Soe helpe mee 
God and the holy contents of this book.” 

The Harleian MS. No. 2054 (17th century) has the 
following:— 

“There is seurall (several) words and signes of a free¬ 
mason to be revailed to yu w’ch as yu will ansnt (answer) 
before God at the great and terrible day of Judgmt. yu 
keep secret and not to revaile the same to any in the 
heares of any psn (person) w (whatsoever) but to the 
Mrs. (Masters) and fellows of the said society of free¬ 
masons. So helpe me God.” 

In the Sloan MS. No. 3848 (1646) we find this OB.:— 

“These charges that we have rehearsed and all other 
yt belongeth to Masonrie you shall keepe to ye uttermost 
of yor knowledge. Soe helpe you God & by the contents 
of this booke.” 

In the Lodge Atcheson Haven Records under date, 
1666, we have the following:— 

“These are the charges that you have receaved & all 
others that belong to masones in this book you shall 
truly keep. So help you God and holy Dome to your 
power. Amen, so be it.” 

It seems to us, with these OB’s. before us, there is 
only one course open to all masons desiring the welfare 
of our ancient institution, and that is to insist that a 
simpler, more sensible, and consequently, more solemn 
and binding form shall be substituted, wherever the cor¬ 
rupt form now prevails. The latter has neither the sanc¬ 
tion of age, of law, of reason, nor of good taste. 


220 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


(9) Fourth Division—Section B. — The Powers and 

Duties of the Master, and 0 dicers, and of the Lodge. 

It is interesting to note the various changes that have 
taken place in the offices of a lodge. The minute books 
of the Lodge of Edinburgh—Mary’s Chapel—show that 
in 1598 the officers consisted of a Warden and a Clerk. 
There is no record of the office of Master at that date. 
The Warden was head, or President, and also Treasurer. 
In 1599 a Deacon was appointed, who acted as President. 
There were thus three offices, Deacon, Warden, and 
Clerk. In 1710 the Deacon is called President, in 1713 
he is called Grand Master, and, in 1735, Master. In 1712 
the Officer is first mentioned and, in 1763, he is named 
“Tyler.” In 1736, there is the first mention of Depute 
Master. In 1737, we find Senior and Junior Warden, 
Treasurer and Two Stewards, appearing on the scene. 
Thus in 1737 the officers were Master, Deputy Master, 
Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Clerk, Two 
Stewards, and a Tyler. In 1739, mention is made of an 
“Old Master,” and, in 1798, the name is changed to Past 
Master. In 1759, a Substitute Master first appears in the 
Minutes. In 1771, a Master of Ceremonies; in 1798, a 
Chaplain; in 1809, Deacons; in 1814, Standard Bearer, 
and indoor and outdoor Tylers; in 1836, Architect; in 
1840, Jeweller; in 1848, Trustees, and in 1865, Director 
of Music. The Clerkship was originally a life appoint¬ 
ment, and was so up to 1752. 

From this survey, it will be seen that from 1598 to 
1865—267 years—practically the whole array of offices 
now so common have been formed, and that previous 
to that time the whole management lay in the hands of 
two officers, viz.: a Warden and a Clerk. 

While this was the case in the individual lodge referred 
to, there is evidence of officers of a superior rank, whose 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 221 


duties were to supervise the lodges generally. Thus, at 
the end of the 16th century, we find a “Principall Warden 
and Chief Maister of Maissonis” for the purpose of 
regulating the affairs of the Craft. Among the first acts 
of King James the First (of Scots) a “Daekon or 
Maister-man” was appointed to protect the community 
against the frauds of Craftsmen. By enactment of the 
Parliament which sat in Perth, in March 1424, the nomi¬ 
nation of their Deacons was vested in the Craftsmen 
themselves. Queen Mary restored the office of Deacon 
and confirmed the self-government of the trades and their 
rights. In 1590, King James ratified the appointment 
of Patrick Copland of Udaught to the office of “Wardene 
and Justice” over the masons in the counties of Aberdeen, 
Banff, and Kincardine. The Schaw Statutes, in 1598, 
show that under the crown there was an office of Warden 
general, who had jurisdiction over all the lodges in Scot¬ 
land. These Statutes provide for yearly elections, 
amongst other things, in the lodges. That these Statutes 
were no sham is shown in the minute book of the Lodge 
Edinburgh, wherein is recorded the trial and sentence 
passed in the case of John Brown, the Warden of the 
lodge. The minute in question runs thus:—“The aucht 
day of Juny the zeir of God 1600 yeirs, ye prencipall 
warden and cheiff maister of maissonis, Wm. Schaw, 
maister of werk to ye kingis ma’stie, comperit at Halerud- 
hous, ye day forsaid wt ye haill maissonis of ye Ludge 
of Edr. and ye laird of Aichinlect, and fand Jhone 
Broune, Warden of ye Ludge of Edr.,” etc., etc. The 
sentence was a fine for contravening an act. 

There is at present a tendency to limit, by Grand Lodge 
Law, the service of a Master of a lodge to one year. This 
is certainly a trespass on the ancient landmarks and on 
the rights of a lodge, and, so far as we see, has no justi¬ 
fication in sound utility or reason. There are, unfortu- 


222 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


nately, in our Order as there are in every society, men 
whose views of things are essentially selfish. They take 
all they can get in the way of honour, or of profit, and 
give as little as possible in return. Their ambition is not 
to assist our institution out of any regard for the inter¬ 
ests of humanity. They seek office to suit their own 
selfish aims, or to gratify their vanity by a grand title, 
and a fine display of paraphernalia. They want cheap 
glory and hence the earnestness with which they advocate 
a law of limited service. Now, it may not do very much 
harm to limit the term of office in a Grand, or Provincial 
Grand Lodge, for these offices are to a great extent orna¬ 
mental ; but, in a regular working lodge, such a rule might 
do incalculable harm. The conditions of every lodge 
are not the same. What may suit one may prove harm¬ 
ful to another. A town lodge, with a large active mem¬ 
bership, and a small country lodge are placed in entirely 
different circumstances. The right of each lodge to 
elect as Master any one of its members who has 
the requisite skill and knowledge is a prominent 
and ancient landmark. No man, however excellent his 
capacity may be, can do full justice to himself, or to the 
Craft, in one year or even in two years. To fill the chair 
of a mason lodge, thoroughly and efficiently, is no light 
task. Even a man of ability and enthusiasm is only be¬ 
ginning to feel himself at home after twelve months’ oc¬ 
cupancy. At the end of two years, he is just mastering 
the meaning and the plan of the work, and it is only in 
the third year that the Craft will begin to get the full 
benefit of his services. This refers only to men of ca¬ 
pacity and enthusiasm. Those who have neither of these 
qualities should never be in the chair, and, if ever they 
unfortunately get there, then the sooner they are out of 
it the better. But, as the law exists, the lodge can pro¬ 
tect itself from an incapable Master by not re-electing 


NATURE AND DIVISIONS OF LANDMARKS 223 


him, and it can encourage and show its appreciation of 
a capable Master by giving him another term of office. 
The proposed law, on the other hand, would deprive it 
of the services of a capable Master just at the time when 
he was beginning to be of most value to it. 

The limiting of the service in the chair is advocated 
by the argument (if we can dignify it by the name of 
argument) that the honours should go round. It assumes 
that every member possesses the qualifications necessary 
for the office, or rather, that no qualifications are needed 
for it. Now we may have doubts as to the wisdom of 
the proposed rule, or of the old system, but of this we 
may be perfectly certain, a more unmasonic, or unreason¬ 
able, argument could scarcely be put forward in support 
of any proposal. “Send the honours round. Why! of 
course! send the honours round,” cries Bro. Bisbuz— 
“I am not going to ‘learn to labour and to wait.’ I have 
as good a right to have R.W.M. and P.M. to my name 
as any one. Limit the term of office to one year, yes, 
send the honours round; I don’t see why I should prove 
myself worthy of it, I want it as soon and as cheaply as 
possible. The highest interests of masonry and its beau¬ 
tiful symbolism can take care of themselves. Send the 
honours round! Any one can surely fill the chair, and, 
as for the lodge-work—hum—well, we’ll manage some¬ 
how—send the honours round!” 

Well, do you think this is the way to enhance the 
honours of masonry? Will you raise the value of dia¬ 
monds by making them as plentiful as chuckie stones? 
Instead of a law restricting the term of office, would it 
not be better to have one enacted that all candidates for 
the chair must first pass a strict examination before a 
Board established for that purpose? This would be an 
honour, but, perhaps, it would not send the honours 
round. 


Chapter II 


MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING THE LAND¬ 
MARKS 

(i) That the Landmarks are Fixed and Unalterable. 

A prominent and prevalent misconception regarding the 
landmarks is, that they are fixed and unalterable. 
This arises, no doubt, from the severe penalties that were 
attached to unlawful interference with the old material 
ones, and perhaps, in a special way from the language of 
the Mosaic law on the subject. “Thou shalt not remove 
thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have 
set in thine inheritance” (Deut. xix. 14). “Cursed be he 
that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the 
people shall say, Amen” (Deut. xxvii. 17). These, and 
other verses from Holy Writ are often put forward to 
justify the assertion that landmarks are fixed and un¬ 
alterable. It is thereby assumed that the landmarks of 
masonry and those referred to in the Mosaic law are, at 
least, analogous if not identical. That this is not the 
case, it would not be difficult to prove. Assuming, how¬ 
ever, that the Mosaic law is applicable to masonic land¬ 
marks, where is there anything in these laws declaring 
landmarks to be fixed and unalterable? The law forbids 
you removing your neighbour's landmark, on the same 
principle that it forbids you removing his goods or cattle. 
But it does not forbid you removing your own landmark, 
so long as that does not affect your neighbour, nor does 
it thereby declare landmarks to be fixed and unalterable. 
As a matter of fact landmarks have often been altered 
and renewed. There is no law prohibiting you from re- 


MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING LANDMARKS 225 


moving your landmark. It only forbids you from remov¬ 
ing your neighbour's. If you and your neighbour agree 
to remove a mutual landmark, there is no law against 
that. It may become the mutual interest of two nations, 
or two persons, to adjust the boundary line between them. 
In that case, the old landmarks are removed and new ones 
are set up. These come under the same laws as the old 
ones and have all their authority. 

Such being the case with civic landmarks, to what ex¬ 
tent does this apply to masonic landmarks ? The analogy 
between these two, like all analogies, is not perfect. Not 
being the same, there must always be a point where the 
analogy ceases. In the present instance there is an im¬ 
portant difference. The civic landmarks are set up with 
the mutual consent of the parties whose territories they 
mark out. The masonic landmarks are set up by one 
party—the masonic society—to mark out what it alone 
declares to be the bounds of its authority. 

As the landmarks of masonry belong solely to the 
Order and are for the guidance of its members only, it 
naturally follows that the laws applicable to civic land¬ 
marks are not always applicable to masonic landmarks. 

In almost every detail of its constitution and cere¬ 
monies, masonry has changed from time to time. In the 
beginning of the eighteenth century these changes were 
almost revolutionary in character and, if we take the 
trouble of going over the records of the Grand Lodges 
of England and of Scotland since their formation, we 
will find, almost in every year, some alteration and, at 
times, the removal of landmarks. 

The following are some of the changes made in the 
Laws and Customs of the Craft since the beginning of the 
eighteenth century:— 

(a) Altering the term of service for Apprentice and 
Craftsman. 


226 SPECULATIVE MASONRY 

(b) Excluding Craftsmen from having voice and vote 

and from holding office in a lodge. 

(c) Altering the age of a Candidate. 

(d) Ceasing to> appoint “Intenders” or “Instructors” 

for Entered Apprentices. 

(e) Advancing an Apprentice or a Craftsman, with¬ 

out “trial and proof of skill” 

(f) Introducing a new form and mode of OB. 

(g) Introducing new pass-words and tokens. 

(h) Altering the mode of “Preparation.” 

(x) Changing the “Knocks.” 

(j) Changing a Trestleboard for a Cushion for the 

Three Great Lights. 

(k) Changing the names of the offices and making new 

offices in a Lodge. 

( l ) Establishing Grand Lodges. 

(m) Establishing Provincial Grand Lodges. 

(n) Introducing Diplomas. 

(o) Introducing new Degrees. 

(p) Introducing Annual Contributions from members. 

(2) That the Landmarks Fix the Lodge Ceremonies, 
Verbatim et Literatim . 

This is the worship of the letter—a cult common to 
every age and people, and from which we can scarcely 
expect the members of our Order to be free. Forms and 
ceremonies seem to be needful for humanity and, while 
they often degenerate into mere twaddle, they are, on 
the whole, a kind of useful moral drill and discipline. 
The free soul may be above them, but how can it express 
itself without them? It is above them only as the musi¬ 
cian is above, yet breathes his soul through, his instru¬ 
ment. They are valuable, only in so far as they have the 
spirit of truth within. The mere words and letters are 


MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING LANDMARKS 227 


of no permanent importance, yet, often, these are put 
forward as the all in all, while the sense and spirit are 
left unheeded. 

Within the masonic order the devotees of the letter con¬ 
stantly use the phrase, “the ancient landmarks’ ’ as a 
fetish. They demand the observance of a certain 
routine, without regard to progress ; the use of a certain 
form of expression, without reference to sense, and even 
sometimes to grammar; and the repetition of certain state¬ 
ments, without respect to historical truth, or to the real 
plan and principles of masonry. You may break the 
spirit of all the commandments and be honoured, but 
hanging and quartering is too good for you if you break 
a single letter of the Law! “You may eat and drink in 
your house and make a beast of yourself on the Sabbath,” 
practically said the Pharisees of old, “but you must not, 
however hungry, pluck the ears of corn standing in the 
fields.” Well did the Gentle One of Nazareth say, “The 
Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sab¬ 
bath.” In the same way we should remember that the 
landmarks are made for masons, and not masons for the 
landmarks. 

In the second degree we are told that masonry is “a 
progressive science.” How can this be if everything in 
it is fixed and unalterable? The absurdity of the idea 
that our rituals are fixed word for word, and letter for 
letter, can, perhaps, be best realised if we ask those who 
hold by this notion, “why do you not ‘work’ in Hebrew? 
According to your own reasoning you should ‘work’ in 
the language of King Solomon and the builders of the 
Temple. What right have you to introduce such a mod¬ 
ern innovation as the English language into the work of 
masonry? Is this not breaking the ancient landmarks of 
the Order?” 

To lay down the dogma of a literally correct form of 


228 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


ritual is to wander into a hopeless bog of contradictions 
and absurdities. Is there such a thing as literal correct¬ 
ness ? Language changes like everything else. The Eng¬ 
lish of Chaucer is not the English of to-day, and the 
words of to-day will not be those of two centuries hence. 
Not only the words but ideas also change. The truths 
of our symbols may be eternal, but the expression of these 
truths will only correspond with the ideas of those who 
express them. The ideas of men previous to Galileo 
never comprehended the Earth as a globe circling round 
the sun. To the men of 1717, the word “evolution” con¬ 
tained a limited and meagre conception. To-day, it con¬ 
tains a universe of thought. What meaning had “the lib¬ 
eral arts and sciences” and many other words then ? As 
our knowledge extends, our language becomes more com¬ 
prehensive. He, who has never seen a building greater 
than a clay biggin, has a limited idea of what the word 
“architecture” means. From these considerations it ap¬ 
pears that to fix the words would not fix the meaning, 
and we must change the words if we are to retain the 
sense and meaning. It is the spirit and the truth under¬ 
lying our symbols and ceremonies that our landmarks 
have to preserve—not phrases and words—and they never 
have determined, and never can determine, the mere 
verbal expression. 

But a further question arises in connection with this 
misconception, which of the various existing forms of 
the ordinary ritual is the right one? You will scarcely 
get two lodges alike in expression and idea. Who is to 
determine what is the true form? Many brethren are 
much exercised on this matter, and there is an inclina¬ 
tion, with some, to get a hard and fast ritual enacted by 
Grand Lodge Law, There could scarcely be anything 
worse than this for the best interests of our Order. 
There may be certain inconveniences in variation but 


MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING LANDMARKS 229 


these are nothing to the evils of a hard and fast ritual. 
Such a ritual goes right in the teeth of natural law. 
Variation and differences in form and expression are 
real advantages. Would you have every blade of grass 
and every flower and tree fashioned in one mould? Do 
you think this would improve God’s work? Where, then, 
would be the beauty, delight, and education of its infinite 
variety? Dead uniformity is slavery. It is a curse to 
freedom, development, and individuality. We have at 
present several variations in the form of our ceremonies. 
Let us thank Heaven it is so. We cannot, and nobody 
can, say which is the correct form, and for this, also, 
may the Lord make some of us truly thankful. As in 
nature, so in masonry, the law of natural selection will 
at last prevail. That which is best fitted for existence 
will survive, and the form that best expresses the highest 
truths contained in our symbols and ceremonies will ulti¬ 
mately be preferred. 

It may be of interest now to enquire:— 

(3) How Misconceptions Have Been Formed. 

Various causes have combined to form and to propa¬ 
gate them. The loose use of the word “landmark” has 
been the greatest cause. It has been bandied back and 
forward, and used in almost every possible way, without 
regard to its meaning. In human nature ignorance and 
arrogance are often associated. When a man has no 
proof, nor reasonable argument, he resorts to loud asser¬ 
tion. Hence, we find the landmarks are often loudly 
declared to be contrary to things with which they really 
have nothing to do. Some masonic writers, also, have 
written on the subject in such a grandiloquent style, that 
it is not surprising to find ordinary members of the Order 
having misconceptions regarding them. These writers 


230 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


have not only failed to define what a landmark is, they 
have implied that it is what it is not. They have claimed 
for the landmarks what theologians claimed for certain 
dogmas—infallibility and eternity. These loose asser¬ 
tions, through indifference and ignorance, have been al¬ 
lowed to pass almost unchallenged, and thus the preva¬ 
lent misconceptions have been formed. 

Besides the indifference and ignorance of the members 
generally, there were other circumstances favouring these 
misconceptions. The idea of masonry having been al¬ 
ways the same “from time immemorial” captivated the 
imagination. Masonic orators rolled it as a sweet morsel 
under their tongues. Even sensible men winked at the 
fallacy because of its flattery. The vanity of human 
nature was tickled at belonging to a society untouched 
amid the crash of empires and the course of centuries. 
Peoples and dynasties had flourished and decayed, reli¬ 
gions had come and gone; the solid frame of earth itself 
had altered its features; but, amid this changing universe, 
changeless only stood this mystery of mysteries. 

There are certain members of our Craft, when they see 
or hear anything in a lodge which, to them, is new, cry 
out that it breaks the ancient landmarks. They may not 
have very clear ideas of what the landmarks are, but they 
resent anything being put forward as masonry which 
they do not know. They know oil about masonry and, 
therefore, anything not known by them cannot be 
masonry. Brethren, the man who knows all about 
masonry lives not on this planet. Beware of the man who 
pretends he knows all about anything. You will usually 
find he really knows very little. The more a man knows, 
the more he discovers the greatness of his own ignorance 
and, the more learned a mason is, the less is he inclined 
to assert anything about the ancient landmarks. 

There are other brethren, than the all-knowing ones, 


MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING LANDMARKS 231 


we have just referred to, who' object to any change 
through a weak fear that the slightest alteration would 
give an opening to a flood-tide of fantasies and rubbish, 
before which every landmark of our institution would be 
swept away. This fear makes them oppose change in 
every form. Reason may tell them that certain changes 
are improvements, but they will not discuss the matter. 
They take refuge behind “the ancient landmarks/’ and 
there they remain. Those who adopt this attitude are 
men whose minds are constitutionally hyper-conservative. 
In moderation, these perform an important service to 
any society. They prevent it from being driven hither 
and thither with every wind, and give it solidarity. But 
the constitutionally conservative and the constitutionally 
progressive mind, to be of real benefit, must be governed 
by intelligence. There is a time for all things. A time to 
march and a time to halt. A time to grow and a time to 
ripen. Each stage must fulfil its purpose. The halt 
must be no longer than is necessary to recruit the ex¬ 
hausted energies, and to replenish the scanty stores. 
When it goes beyond that, it becomes laziness and 
cowardice. The march must have a clear objective and 
must be conducted with care and order, or it will be the 
rush of a rabble and will result in disaster. Above all, 
halt and march must be considered as incidents in a 
great campaign for a great purpose. It is not sufficient 
to cry out against anything that it breaks the landmarks. 
We must be prepared to show what landmarks it breaks. 
Intelligence must govern us, not childish fears; for, it 
not infrequently happens, that those who cry loudest 
about the landmarks know least about them. 


Chapter III 


THE LANDMARKS AND PROGRESS 

(i) The Landmarks No Hindrance to Progress . 

A true knowledge of the landmarks makes for progress, 
and prevents innovations. The desire for progress 
should not swell into disregard of them, nor respect for 
them sink into superstitious worship. They conserve 
and preserve the fundamental features and primary prin¬ 
ciples of masonry, and are not antagonistic to its de¬ 
velopment. If we wish, then, to further it, we can best 
do so along the lines of the landmarks. The field em¬ 
braced within these lines is a wide one. It contains sub¬ 
jects in close relation to scientific and philosophic truth. 
It touches human knowledge and faith at so many points 
that scientific research and philosophic study can be 
utilised without, in the slightest degree, trespassing on any 
of the landmarks. 

Thought cannot be fettered. Can you mark off and 
subdivide the ocean, or the sky? How much less can 
you restrict and confine into various spheres the vast 
domain of thought. There are different sciences and 
various schools of thought, but, who would dream—even 
were it possible—of isolating each by itself? The dis¬ 
coveries of the geologist are interesting to the astron¬ 
omer, and those of the astronomer are helpful to the 
geologist. The facts of physical science are of value 
to the philosopher, and the reasonings of the philosopher 
are important to the physicist. Is it possible then to 
isolate masonry in the region of thought? No, it is 
neither possible nor desirable. The web of our thought, 
232 


THE LANDMARKS AND PROGRESS 


233 


to-day, is woven with threads spun by all the ages. 
Every truth, the moment it is uttered, becomes the prop¬ 
erty of the world. The wisdom of Solomon and of 
Plato, the Psalms of David, the plays of Shakespeare, 
and the songs of Burns, belong to humanity. Surely no 
sane man will venture to assert that the landmarks are 
meant to debar masonry from all the rich stores of 
thought that lie at the services of the human mind. 

Let us take an illustration from Nature. We eat bread, 
made of the corn that grew out on the hillside and, 
through a wonderful process of digestion and assimi¬ 
lation, it becomes flesh and blood, becomes part of us. 
It makes no difference in the form of our bodies and we 
have the same bones, muscles, nerves, and features as 
before. So masonry may assimilate new substance in 
harmony with its system and derive fresh life and 
strength therefrom. As the form of our bodies are to 
us, so are the landmarks to masonry. It is not, then, as 
ridiculous to condemn any thought, which, by virtue of 
its affinity to masonry, may have been introduced into it, 
as it would be to cry out against the corn of our bread, 
because it grew outside and not inside of ourselves. The 
human body does not object to food, fresh food, nourish¬ 
ing food. What it objects to is poison —that which does 
not agree with its constitution. The object of masonry 
is to build up and unite humanity, and all knowledge 
and truth that will further that work should be utilised. 
If the work of the Temple is to progress, old and un¬ 
serviceable scaffolding must be replaced by new and im¬ 
proved material. The important thing is not the scaf¬ 
folding but the building. If we prohibit the introduction 
of fresh thought and expression into our “lodge work” 
—notwithstanding the propriety and beauty of such— 
if we only repeat in a lodge what we have heard in a 
lodge; only cultivate the tongue and not the soul, the 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


234 

memory and not the mind, then we abandon the plane 
of thinking immortal souls, and place ourselves on the 
level of parrots and magpies. 

(2) The Teachings of History and Nature. 

What does the voice of history tell us on the subject? 
If there is a truth in human experience more prominent 
than any other, it is this—the institution that moves not 
with the progress of the world; that gives no room 
for the exercise and expansion of the faculties with which 
wise heaven has endowed us; that fetters the mind by 
forms and dogmas insincere and effete—such an insti¬ 
tution will inevitably fall out of touch with the march 
of humanity, and sink into the horizon of the past. How 
has masonry itself come down the ages? Why has it 
continued to exist while revolutions of blood and fire, 
changes of thought and conditions, have practically al¬ 
tered the world? Why? Because it changed to meet 
the changing conditions. It developed fresh forms from 
time to time in accordance with its environments. As 
architecture passed from one people and one age to an¬ 
other, always altering yet ever retaining its great charac¬ 
teristics, so has masonry come down to us. Far back 
in history Temples were built for the mysteries of the 
gods. In Egypt and Assyria, in Judea, in Greece and 
Rome, men were banded together for the building of 
these. Down through the Middle Ages, in Europe, 
similar bands of men moved from place to place erecting 
sacred structures. From the last sprang the old Craft 
lodges, out of which, at the beginning of the eighteenth 
century, arose the unique and in many ways wonderful 
organisation of Free and Accepted Masons. Are we to 
consider that the law of Progress and Evolution ceased 
in 1717, and that everything is fixed for ever since? It 


THE LANDMARKS AND PROGRESS 


235 


was as natural, in the conditions of 1717, that masonry 
should take a new form as that the bird should emerge 
from the egg, or the plant from the seed. The idea 
involved in the lodge work of the Middle Ages was a 
material structure, sheltering peace and brotherhood 
amid the strife and bloodshed then prevalent. The idea 
evolved in the lodge of to-day is the same but, instead of 
a material building for men, it is to be a spiritual build¬ 
ing of men, united together in the bonds of a universal 
brotherhood. 

As in history, so in nature, we are taught at every 
step and turn that Progress is a necessary condition of 
existence. The essence of real life is— 

“To act that each to-morrow 
Find us farther than to-day,” 

and, if masonry is to be a factor in creating a noble 
future for our race, we must not be content to learn only 
the truths of the dead past, we must also master the 
knowledge of the living present. We must prove our¬ 
selves to be, what we sometimes proudly style ourselves, 
“the sons of Light,” and assimilate into our “Lodge- 
work” the truths of modern thought and research. Un¬ 
less we do this, all our forms and ceremonies may be 
as old and as interesting as an Egyptian mummy but, 
for real work in the world, they will be quite as useless. 
Everything around us indicates the necessity of progress. 
The voices of nature everywhere, on land or sea, in the 
heights of the heavens above us and in the depths of 
the earth beneath us, proclaim in a universal chorus, 
“Stagnation is death”; and death himself bows and 
whispers, “it is worse, it is sin.” 

The universe moves forward to a plan and purpose. 
The process of evolution never ceases. We must either 
obey the law of life by moving on, or die. As the 


236 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


operative triumphs by obedience to law, so must we 
work ever onwards and upwards. Every institution 
must justify its right to live by right living. It must 
appeal to man by what it does for mankind. It must 
fulfil some function of existence if it is to exist. We may 
cheat ourselves and our neighbours, but the All-Seeing 
is also the All-Mighty, and He cannot be circumvented. 
Shams are an insult to God and nature will not tolerate 
them. Bombastic cant and pretentious claims to hidden 
lore and secret science are as offensive to common sense 
as they are repugnant to common honesty. An institu¬ 
tion resting on nothing but its past, is a mummy, not a 
living body. Are the foregoing remarks applicable to 
masonry? We are sure it is vibrating with life in the 
present and pushing its hopes forward to the future? 
Does it not live too much in the past ? Are not its mem¬ 
bers apt to treat it as a kind of light comedy, full of 
gaudy illusions, as the outer world, in many quarters, 
considers it to be? He who makes masonry a living, 
working, reality in the world is the real mason. There 
are too many of the cheap tinsel-show kind, who think 
if they can decorate themselves with jewels up to the 
33rd degree, they thereby prove themselves good Crafts¬ 
men. Decorations are only valuable when won by honest 
service, and all these shams have got to go to their own 
place before masonry can become a real, living, effective, 
moral force in the world. Does it not often seem to be 
more engaged in building a play-actors’ booth than a 
sacred Temple? 

(3) The Temple of Brotherhood and Peace is the 
Great Landmark. 

From the womb of the operative system, speculative 
masonry has sprung, and found a new and nobler sphere 


THE LANDMARKS AND PROGRESS 


237 


of existence. So far, it has but passed through the 
period of childhood and its full maturity is yet to come. 
It is true, the vast proportions of its Ideal Lodge have 
been almost already realised, and the east and west and 
the north and south, within the walls of every little 
lodge-room, seem no longer a display of conceit and 
vanity, but represent a great materialised fact. It has 
spread itself everywhere, until we can say in truth, “it 
extends from east to west and embraces every clime be¬ 
tween north and south, it encircles the globe and sur¬ 
rounds the poles, its golden chain of brotherhood unites 
every portion of the human family, and its light beams 
wherever civilisation extends.” But not yet has it become 
fully conscious of the great work—the grand mission for 
which the centuries have prepared and preserved it. The 
dawn of manhood is just breaking and it is slowly awak¬ 
ening to life and duty. Dimly beginning to realise its 
power, it is restless. The eternal questions of the “why” 
and “wherefore” of existence are pressing themselves on 
its attention. Why is it here, in this world of selfish¬ 
ness and strife? Wherefore has it been, amid war and 
incessant conflict, developed along the lines of peace and 
love; and so marvellously moulded and developed that 
in every land it is now known, and by every race made 
welcome? Has all this been done that it may live for 
itself alone? No, there, on its Trestleboard is the Plan 
of the Great Architect and its mission is to work out 
that plan. Out of the rough hard quarries of quarrelling 
humanity it has to build a Temple of Brotherhood and 
Peace. This Temple is the great landmark—the highest 
and grandest ideal of masonry. To build, strengthen, 
and beautify it, we must bring in the aid of all the arts 
and sciences, apply every resource that civilisation and 
progress can give us, and exercise all the powers and 
gifts with which we have been endowed. What nobler 


238 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


work could we be engaged in, brethren? Yet, how far 
are we, as a rule, from understanding it? We seem to be 
groping in the dark. Yet, it is ignorance more than 
unwillingness that hinders the work. Like the ingenious 
craftsman at the building of the Temple at Jerusalem, 
we appear to be without plan and instruction, while, in 
reality, our plan and instructions lie in the work itself. 
Like him, let us go to work and find out what is needed 
for the building. Then, like him also, we will some day 
have our reward, and will gratefully exclaim, “Thank 
God, I have marked well.” 

“Here eyes do regard you 
In Eternity’s stillness; 

Here is all fulness, 

Ye brave, to reward you; 

Work, and despair not.” 


APPENDIX 















APPENDIX 


Part I: THE MISSION OF SPECULATIVE 
MASONRY 

The Law of the Square in the Cross, p. 59. 

The Tau Cross, or sign of regeneration, “is mentioned 
by Ezekiel (ix. 4, 6) as the 'mark (Tau) set upon the 
foreheads of the men’ who were to be preserved alive.”— 
See Kitto’s Biblical Cyclopcedia —under the heading of 
Egypt. 


The Temple of King Solomon, p. 108. 

There has been considerable discussion regarding the 
equivalent of the cubit in modern measurements. The 
Rev. W. Shaw Caldecott, M.R.A.S., in his work on 
“Solomon’s Temple: its History and its Structure” 
holds the view that there were three kinds of cubits used 
in the measurements of the Temple, and its vessels and 
altars. These were “1. Cubit used in the plotting of the 
Temple Courts, iy 2 feet or 18 inches; 2. Cubit used in 
the erection of the Temple buildings, 1 1-5 feet or 14.4 
inches; 3. Cubit used in the construction of the figures 
of cherubs, the golden and silver vessels, and gold-em¬ 
broidered veil of the Temple, 9/10 foot or 10.8 inches.” 

Whether this author is right, or not, in this arrange¬ 
ment of measurements, founded on the Senkereh Tablet 
discovered in 1850, we will leave more competent judges 
to decide. In our measurements we have taken the cubit 
at 18 inches, and based our calculations thereon. 

241 


242 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


The Pillars, pp. no and in. 

Regarding the appearance of these there have been 
numerous representations. Those common to masonic 
literature seem to us far off the descriptions given of 
them, and from the character of the pillars known to 



have been in general use in the East in ancient Temples 
In King Solomon’s time. Those given in ordinary litera¬ 
ture on the subject that have come under our observation, 
are, also, in our humble opinion, not in accordance with 
the specifications given nor the character of the archi¬ 
tecture of the period. For the satisfaction of interested 
readers we venture to produce a representation of what 
we conceive those pillars to have been from the descrip- 

















































APPENDIX 


243 


tions given and from the discovered remains of the archi¬ 
tecture of the East, about the period of the building of 
the Temple. 

Part II: THE EVOLUTION OF SPECULATIVE 
MASONRY 

(i) The Historical Difficulties, p. 133. 

In attempting to trace the Evolution of Speculative 
Masonry, the author was fully conscious of the difficulties 
surrounding such a task, and his inability to overcome 
them in a satisfactory manner. After fixing on this 
subject, he found he had somewhat foolishly com¬ 
mitted himself to a very intricate historic problem, and 
that, for even a very superficial treatment, it would re¬ 
quire a much wider and deeper knowledge of history 
than he possessed. As in nature, all things in history 
are more or less interrelated; and he soon discovered 
that the stream of modern Speculative Masonry has re¬ 
ceived contributions from far away sources, and through 
diverse channels. The Ancient Mysteries, the Roman 
Collegia, the Medieval Guilds, the French Companion- 
age, the German Stein-Metzen, and the Old British 
Craft Lodges, all present to us a strong family resem¬ 
blance to each other. He also found that to read up and 
analyse the best authorities, on the points having a bear¬ 
ing on the subject, would demand more time and energy 
than he had at his disposal. Fortunately, he had “The 
History of Freemasonry,” by Bro. Robert Freke Gould, 
at hand, and found therein the most comprehensive, care¬ 
ful, and critical compilation on the subject that he has 
yet seen. Every authority of note, seems to have been 
consulted; every record, referring to the subjects treated, 
appears to have been ransacked and utilised; so that its 


244 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


history is a veritable “El Dorado” of masonic informa¬ 
tion. From it he has taken the greater part of his data, 
and if the reader should in any way be benefited by these 
Lectures on the Evolution of Speculative Masonry, for 
that benefit he is indebted far more to Bro. Gould than to 
the author. But, while this is so, do not let it mislead 
you into thinking that the views and inferences he has 
put before you are those of Bro. Gould. That would be 
very ungracious, as well as audacious, on his part; and 
would be a sorry acknowledgment of his indebtedness 
to him. 


INDEX 


Abbe Barruel, 136. 

Abel, 105. 

Aberdeen, Lodge, 172, 212. 
Abraham, 105, 175. 
“Accolade,” 155. 

Adam, 123, 175. 

Adelstonus, Kynge, 174. 
Adonis, 22. 

Adonniram, 153. 

“Ahiman Rezon,” Laurence 
Dermott, 200. 

Aholiab, 142. 

Ainslie, Rev. James, 177. 
Alchemists, the, 22. 

Alchemy, 138. 

Alpha and Omega, 98, 115. 
Amos, 141. 

Ancient Lodges, 176. 

Ancient Mysteries, 135, 142, 
I 43 > 243. 

Anderson, Dr., 48, 133, 176, 
182. 

Angleland, 148. 

Apprentice, 86, 92, 93, 94. 
Apprentice mason, 95. 
Apprentices, moral conduct, 
167. 

Arcana of the craft, 204. 
Architect, the Great, 27, 28, 

40, 52. 

Ark of the Covenant, 113. 
Armagh, 164. 

Armstrong, Dr., 136. 

Arnold, Rev. A. C., History 
of Freemasonry, 137. 


Arnold, Matthew, 78. 

Arts and Sciences, 153. 

Ashlars, 15, 121, 124; perfect, 
200. 

Ashmole, Elias, 36, 137, 139, 
178. 

Assembly, General, 157. 

Associations of “Journey¬ 
men,” 152. 

Astrology, 138. 

Atcheson’s Haven, 203; Lodge, 
212, minute book, 209, rec¬ 
ords, 219. 

Athelstane, King, 175, 177; 
reign, law of, 209. 

Aubrey, Mr. John, 204. 

Bacchic rites, 143. 

“Bacchus,” 157. 

Balder, 22. 

Bamberg Cathedral, 168. 

Benedictine- Monks, 166. 

Bezaleel, 142. 

Bible, the modern, 72. 

Boaz, 108, 109, no, 112, 168. 

“Boiswell of Achinflek, 
Jhone,” 177. 

Bond, the, 127. 

Book of Kings, 108, 112. 

Book of Law, *137. 

Border, tessellated, 90, 96. 

British Craft Lodges, 152, 
154 . 

British School at Athens, an¬ 
nual of, 57. 


245 


246 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Brother-Book of 1563, 167, 
168. 

Buchanan MS., 208, 218. 
Buhle, Professor, 136. 

Burke, Edmund, 136. 

Burns, quotation from, 23, 80. 


Cabalism, 138. 

Cabirian rite, 137. 

Caesar, 123. 

Caldee Paraphrasts, 204. 
Canopy, the cloudy, 25. 

Cares, the three, 206, 214. 
Carlyle, 99; Past and Present, 
67; “Sartor Resartus,” 185. 
Carsphairn, 134. 

Cassillis, Lord, 177. 

“Ceile,” 163. 

“Ceiltinn,” 163. 

Celibates, 137. 

Celtic Church, 164, 165; in 
Scotland, 162; of Ireland, 
162. 

Celtic Cross, 58. 

Centre, the, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 
52 , 55 * 

Ceres, 22. 

Chalmers, Dr., 30. 

Chamber, the Middle, 97. 
Chapiters, in. 

“Charges/’ the, 152. 

Charges, old, 174, 175, 176, 
188, 210, 218; classification 
of, 172; list of, 172-3. 
Charlemagne, 151. 

Charles the Second of France, 
175 . 

Chaucer, 228. 

Christians, persecution of, 165. 
“Christicolae,” 163. 

Chronicles, 105, 107, no. 


Circle, the, 48, 51, 52; symbol, 
60. 

Circumambulation, 159. 

Clavel, 155. 

Coleridge, 123. 

Colleges, Roman, divisions of, 
145 - 

Collegia, identity with Guilds 
of England, 146-8; identity 
with Guilds in France, 149- 
51; of Rome, 160. 

Collegium, 145. 

Collegium fabrorum, 146-7, 
165. 

Commandments, the, 53. 

“Compagnons du Tour,” 152. 

Companionage, 153, 154, 156, 
157, 158, 160, 189, 243; 
French, 153, 154, 182, 184. 

Companionage, and Freema¬ 
sonry, coincidences, 160; 
government, 158; principles, 
159; procedures, 158; re¬ 
semblances, 159; similarities, 
157, 160. 

Companions de Liberte, 157. 

Compasses, the, 51, 140; sym¬ 
bol of, 74. 

Confucius, 91, 194. 

Conscience, 41-2, 44, 75, 77, 
80, 81, 101, 102. 

Constituting, 214. 

Cook MSS., 177. 

Coote, “The Romans in 
Britain,” 146. 

Corpus, 145. 

Covenant, the word, 50. 

Covenanters, 182; in Scotland, 
49. 

Craft, the, 32, 33, 41, 46, 52, 
55 . 135 , 139, 167, 215; law 
and customs, changes in, 


INDEX 


247 


225-6; lodges, 139; officers 
of, 221, 222. 

Craftsman, 95. 

Craftsmen, frauds of, 221; 
prohibited, 170. 

Cross, the, 101; forms of, 58, 
59; relation to square, 56, 
57 

Cruden’s Concordance ( foot¬ 
note ), 204. 

“Cuile,” 163. 

“Cul,” 163. 

Culdees, the, 162, 163, 164, 
166. 

Cultorum Dei, 146. 

Customs, as landmarks, 197. 

Customs and rules, 154-6; as 
landmarks, 197. 

David, 105, 106, 124; last acts 
of, 142; the poet-king, 

106. 

De Quincey, 136, 139. 

Deacons, derivation of title, 
145 . 

Declaration Quintuple, 91. 

Declaring, 214. 

“Degree,” meaning, 211. 

Deity, symbol of the, 124. 

“Dents de Louve,” 156. 

Dermott, Laurence, “Ahiman 
Rezon,” 200. 

Desaguliers, Dr., 48, 182. 

“Devoir,” 152, 158. 

Dia, 163. 

Dionysian Architects, frater¬ 
nity of, 187. 

Discalceaton, 159. 

Divine Architect, 94; plan of, 
129; centre, 101, 125; light, 
92; presence, 27; Temple, 
plan of the, 23, 29. 


Druid theory, 135. 

Druidism, 135. 

“Dolce far niente,” the Ital¬ 
ians, 23. 

Dunblane, Lodge, 212. 

Edinburgh, lodge of, 177; 

minute books, 220. 

Education, mental, 77. 

“Edwin legend,” 177. 

Egypt, 105, 142. 

Egyptian cross, 60. 

Eleusinian, 143. 

Emerson, 123, 132. 

Essenes, 137. 

Etruscan style, the, 57. 

Euclid, 174, 175. 

Europe, 135. 

Evolution, 228; course of, 116. 

Faith, principles of, 84, 85. 
Fallow, 134. 

Faust , the Earth-Spirit in, 66. 
Fellow, obligations of, 167. 
Fellows, moral conduct, 167, 
168. 

Fludd, Robert, 136. 

Foedus, the Latin, 50. 

Force, centrifugal, 36, 37, 40, 
41, 43; centripetal, 36, 40, 

4h 43- 

Fort, 134, 161. 

“Free and accepted mason,” 
20, 22; origin, 234. 

“Free born,” meaning, 209, 
210. 

“Free-man,” 20. 

“Free-Mason,” 20, 21. 
“Free-Masonry,” 20, 48, 135, 
136; Benedictine, origin of, 
166; in France, 154; origin 
of, 188. 


248 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Freemasons, 135; first, 36-7. 
French Companionage, 152-60. 
French Craftsmen, 166. 

Findel, 134. 

Galahad, Sir, 65. 

Galileo, 228. 

Gauge, the common, 81. 
Gavel, 93, 168. 

Gehenna, road to, 121. 

Giles, Lionel, “Confucius,” 
193 - 

Goethe, 99, 194. 

Gothic architecture, 60; be¬ 
ginning of, 166. 

Gould, 133, 145, 146, 150, 154, 
157, 161, 171, 172, 180, 182, 
183, 188, 200, 207, 209. 
Gould, Bro. Robert Freke, 
“History of Freemasonry,” 

48, 141, 143, 145, 153, 178, 
189, 243, 244. 

Grand Lodge, era of, 48; for¬ 
mation of, 190; of England, 

49, 138, 225,* of Scotland, 
21, 225. 

Grand Master Builder, 73. 
Gravitation, 129; law of, 43, 
44 , 52 , 53 - 

Great Architect, 73, 76, 85; 
Centre, 42, 43, 50, 52, 54, 
67, 78; Plan, the, 30. 
Greece, 117, 142. 

Greek cross, 58, 59. 
“Guilbrette,” 155, 160. 

Guilds, the, 152, 190; craft, 
150, 162, 166, 167; French, 
150; German, 166; Stein- 
Metzen, 166; trade, 145, 150. 
Gypsies, 135. 

Habit, defined, 70, 81. 


Halliwell, MS., 172, 174, 208. 

Harleian, MS., 172, 203, 218, 
219. 

Harmony, law of, 125. 

Happiness, 23. 

Haughfoot Lodge, 180, 182. 

Hebrew Psalm, 120. 

Lleldmann, 167. 

Herbert, George, quotation 
from, 121. 

Heredity, Law of, 80, 81. 

Hermes, 175. 

Hewitt, Dr., 136. 

Hindu cross, 60. 

Hiram, King of Tyre, 48, 135, 
153 , 154 , 156, 187. 

Hi ramie Legend, in the Com¬ 
panionage, 48, 49, 51, 160, 
182; of Freemasonry, 154. 

Historians, Masonic, 133. 

“Historic des Classes Ou- 
vieres en France,” Levas- 
seur, M. E., 149. 

“History of Crime,” Pike, 
147. 

“History of Freemasonry,” 
Robert Frecke Gould, 148, 
243, 244. 

“History of Gaelic Scotland,” 
Mitchell, 163. 

Holmes, O. W., quotation 
from, 132. 

Holy of Holies, 112, 113. 

Holy Temple, the soul of 
man as a, 25. 

Hospitallers of St. John, 136. 

Hughan, 133, 171, 180, 200. 

Humanity, 35, 52, 160. 

Huram, 109, no. 

Ideal, material, 23; moral, 23. 

Immortality, light of, 97. 


INDEX 


249 


Imperial Edict, 170. 

Infinite Father, 31. 

Initiation, procedure, 158. 

Isaac, 105. 

Isaiah, 141. 

Isis, 22, 142; mysteries of, 
156. 

Jachim, 109, no, 112, 168. 

Jacques, murder of, 153. 

Jeremiah, 141. 

Jerusalem, 104; temple, 129. 

John, gospel of, 204. 

Jones, Inigo, 48, 172. 

Josephus, 105, 106, 112, 137. 

Journeyman Lodge, 203. 

Journeymen, Associations of, 
153 . 

Jumieges, festival, 156. 

Jute, the savage, 148. 

Kemble, “The Saxons of Eng¬ 
land,” 147. 

Key-stone, the lost, 25. 

Kilwinning MS., 172, 203, 
209. 

King Charles' liturgy, 49. 

King Solomon, 108, 227; in 
Egypt, in; in Syria, in; 
reign of, 105, 106. 

King Solomon's Temple, 168, 
185, 187, 189, 198, 241; tra¬ 
dition, 188, 189. 

Kitto, 57. 

Kitto’s Biblical Cyclopaedia, 
241. 

Knights of Round Table, and 
the Holy Grail, 22. 

Knowledge, light of, 95; wind¬ 
ing stair of, 96. 

Koran, the, 72. 


Ladder, the mystic, 25. 

Lamech, 175. 

Landmark, changes in, 205; 
the great, 236-8. 

Landmarks, and progress, 221, 
231-4; conditions of ad¬ 
vancement, 211 -13; defini¬ 
tion of, 195-200; division 
of, 200-2; fetish, 227; fixed 
and unalterable, 223-6; 
function of, 197; mode of 
recognition, 202-5; miscon¬ 
ceptions, 224-31; nature and 
division of, 195-223; points 
in “entering,” “passing,” and 
“raising,” 216-19; points in 
“opening” and “closing,” 
214-16; powers and duties, 
220-3; qualifications of can¬ 
didates, 206-11; removal of, 
224, 225; tyling of lodge, 
205-6; Verbatim et Litera¬ 
tim , 226-9. 

Laurie, 133, 176. 

Law of Gravitation, 43, 44, 
52, 53; of Moses, 107. 

Law of the Square, 118, 122; 
in Cross, 55-68; in Material 
Building, 40-2, 67; in Moral 
Building, 41-4, 67; in Na¬ 
ture, 36-40, 61, 67, 101; 

summary of, 67; of Varia¬ 
tion, 73, 80, 81. 

Laws and Constitutions, 217. 

Lessing, 136. 

Levasseur, M. E., “Historie 
des Classes Ouvieres en 
France,” 149, 150. 

Leven St. John, Lodge, 213. 

Levites, 142. 

“Lewis,” 156, 158. 

Liberte, Companions de, 157. 


250 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Life, 61, 63, 66, 70. [92. 

Light, 61, 63, 66, 71, 88, 90, 

Lights, great, 92; lesser, 92. 

Lilly, William, 136. 

Living Circle, the, 159. 

Lodge, the, 83-100; chief end, 
98-100, 102; course of in¬ 
struction, 91-8, 102; cover¬ 
ing, 89; dimensions, 88; 
Dunblane, 203, 204; Edin¬ 
burgh, 182, 221; form, 88; 
furniture, 89; Haughfoot, 
203; ideal plan, 86-90, 102; 
jewels, 90; lights, 90; na¬ 
ture of work, 83-4, 102; 
operative, 85; ornaments, 
90; position, 87; relation to 
outer world, 85-6, 102; rela¬ 
tion to religion, 84-5, 102; 
relation to world, 85; situa¬ 
tion, 87; speculative, 85; 
supports, 89. 

Lodges, changes in offices, 
220; Old Craft, 189, 243, 
degree in, 180-2, 185; opera¬ 
tive, 171-182, 190; powers 
and duties of members, 220. 

“Loups,” 156. 

“Louve,” 156. 

“Louveteau,” 158. 

“Louveteaux,” 156. 

Louvre, 156. 

Love, 61, 65, 66, 71. 

“Lupara,” 156. 

Lupercalia, 149, 156. 

“Luperci,” 156. 

Mackey, 134, 183, 187; Ency¬ 
clopaedia, 200. 

Maenach, 164. 

Maeterlinck, Praise of the 
Sword, 115. 


Mainwaring, Col. Henry, *78. 

“Maison,” the French, 20. 

Maitre Jacques, legend of, 
153 - 

Maitre Soubise, 157. 

Manifestation, first Divine, 
6 1; fourth Divine, 65; sec¬ 
ond Divine, 63; third Di¬ 
vine, 63. 

“Mansion,” the English, 20. 

Marcianus, 147, 148. 

Mary’s Chapel, 203; Lodge, 
minutes of, 207. 

“Mason,” 161. 

“Mason-bee,” the term, 20. 

Mason’s Hall, 136; hall, in 
India, 134; Lodge, 139; 
three degrees, 180. 

Masonry, 86, 133, 137; changes 
in, 234; evolution, along 
lines of operative building, 
138-9, 191; historical diffi¬ 
culties, 133-4; its land¬ 
marks, 192-238; meaning of, 
19; membership, age restric¬ 
tions, 210; mission of, 19, 
26, 28, 132; origin of, 134, 
ascribed to, 133-9; specula¬ 
tive, —; ceremonies, 185, 
characteristic points, 183- 
189, degrees, 184, instruc¬ 
tion, 185, meetings, 184, 
oath, 184, recognition, 184, 
traditions, 188; summary of 
evolution, 183-91; “the olde 
bokys,” 174; theories ad¬ 
vanced, 134-8; true to mis¬ 
sion, 31. 

“Mass,” the English word, 
19, 21. 

“Massa,” the Latin word, 19. 


INDEX 


251 


“Massein,” the Greek word, 
19 - 

Master, 94; Builders, 98; De¬ 
gree, the, 33, 48; derivation 
of title, 145; Mason, 47, 
48, 49, 5L 52, 64; service 
limited, 221, 222. 

Masters, 151; duties, 168, 169; 
election, 167, 168; in the 
Craft, 162; moral conduct, 
168. 

Material, suitable, 69-72. 

Mather, 155. 

“Mayster Mason,” 174. 

“Maza,” the Greek word, 19. 

Medieval Craft Guilds, 138; 
Guilds, 243. 

“Meitzel,” 161. 

Membership, qualifications,206, 
207; restrictions, 207. 

“Memra,” 204. 

Mencius, 140. 

“Mere,” 155. 

“Messen,” 161. 

“Messor,” 161. 

“Metzen,” the word, 161. 

Middle Chamber, the, 25, 112. 

“Missile,” the word, 19. 

“Mission,” meaning of, 19. 

“Mission of Masonry,” the, 
21, 26, 31, 101, 119; gener¬ 
ally considered, 19-40. 

“Missive,” the word, 19. 

Mitchell, Dr., “History of 
Gaelic Scotland,” 163. 

Mithras, 143, 149. 

Moses, 204; law of, 107. 

Mortality, symbols of, 97. 

Mount Moriah, 105; temple, 
104. 

Murray-Lyon, 133, 180, 182, 
200, 202. 


Mystae, 143. 

Mysteries, ancient, 149, 156, 
160, 185; ceremonies of, 

186; symbolism of, 138; 
Bacchic, 156; Cabirian, 
187; Dionysian, 187. 

National Assembly, 151. 
Nature, equinoxes of, 96; laws 
of, 95 - 

“Naymus the Grecian ” 157. 
New Market Church of 
Merseburg, 168. 

New Testament, writers of, 

141. 

Newspapers, contents of, 120. 
Newton, 30, 37. 

Nicomedia, 146. 

Noah, 105, 175, 176. 

Norman Conquest, 148. 

Oath, or obligation, 216. 

Ob, form of, 218. 

Odin, the sons of, 22. 

Old British Craft Lodges, 
184, 189; charges (see 

Charges, old ); Lodges, 
speculative element, 175-80. 
Oliver, 133. 

On, Egyptian city of, 57. 
Operative mason, 20, 21, 40, 
4 1 , 43 , 44 > 47 , Sh 52, 75 , 83, 
85, 93, 94, 101, 127, 138, 

142, 160, 165, 176, 186, 187, 
188; system, 236. 

Order, 31, 34, 48; of Free and 
Accepted Masons, 138; qual¬ 
ifications for admission, 20; 
records of the, in England, 
20, in Scotland, 20; refer¬ 
ences to, 134. 

Orphic, 143. 


252 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


Osiris, 22, 142. 

Osterrieth, Herr, 167, 184. 
Oughtred, George Wharton, 
136. 

Palaeolithic, 58, 64. 

Paul, 141. 

Pavement, Mosaic-work of, 
90, 96. 

Pearson, Dr., 136. 

Peebles, Lodge, 213. 

Pelasgian Greece, worship of, 

57 - 

Penketh, Richard, 178. 

Persia, 187. 

Peter, Epistles of, 141. 
“Petroma,” 143. 

Phallic cult, 65. 

Pictish Kingdom, 164. 

Pike, “The History of Crime,” 
147 - 

Pillars, hi, 242; of temple, 
108. 

Plan, ideal, 121. 

Plato, 50. 

Pliny, the younger, 146. 

Plot, Dr., 203. 

“Poem of Trathal,” the, 22. 
Point within the Circle, 47, 
48, 50, 51, 67, 101. 

Points, opening and closing, 
214. 

Pommels, hi. 

Power, 61, 66. 

“Praise of the Sword,” 
Maeterlinck, 115. 

Preston, 133. 

Priests, colleges of, 145. 
Principles, elemental, 64; of 
Masonry, three grand, 94. 
Prosperine, 22. 

Provosts, 151. 


Pyramids, frescoes of, 64. 
Pythagoras, 175. 

Quakers, the modern, 137. 
Quarries, the, 69-82, 84, 102; 
available, 72-5. 

Quest of the Ideal, 21, 22, 25. 

Recognition, secret mode, 183. 
Records, of old Craft Lodges, 

177. 

Reformation, 179, 198. 
Regeneration, symbol of, 58, 
64. 

Renunciation, triple, 85, 91. 
Ritter, 57. 

Roman Civil Law, 144. 
Roman Collegia, 138, 144-6, 
148, 183, 188, 189, 190, 

243 - 

Romans, 135. 

“Romans in Britain, the,” 
Coote, 146. 

Rome, 117, 123. 

Rosicrucians, 136, 137, 139. 
Rothe, 193. 

“Sabazius” 157. 

“Sabos,” 157. 

Sacred Book, 74. 

Sanctuary of the Temple, 
112, 113. 

Sartor Resartus, Carlyle, 185. 
“Saxons of England, The,” 
Kemble, 147. 

Schaw Statutes, 203, 211, 213, 
221. 

Schools, technical, 154. 

Scribas, Colleges of, 145. 
Scriptures, 72, 75; Hebrew, 
72. . 

Selection, process of, 75-82. 


INDEX 


253 


Senkereh Tablet, 241. 

Servius, 51. 

Shaitan Bungalow, 134. 

Shoemakers of Augesberg, 
riots, 170. 

Sisyphus, 80. 

Sloan MS., 219. 

Snake-Goddess, shrine of, 57. 

Sodalitates, 145. 

Solomon, 30, 48, 140, 175. 

Solomon’s Temple (see Tem¬ 
ple of Solomon). 

Sons of Maitre Jacques, 152. 

Sons of Maitre Soubise, 152. 

Sons of Solomon, 152, 154, 
156, 157, 166; French, 166; 
“Wolves” of, 156-7. 

Soubise, Maitre, 153. 

Speculative mason, 20, 21, 41, 
43, 44, 51, 84, 85, 94, 139, 
183, 186, 189, 196, 199, 211, 
236, 243, 244, conclusion of 
summary, 189-91, evolution 
of, 138, 139 , 2 43 ; System, 
139, 160, 177, 190. 

Speth, Bro., 180. 

Sponsors, 158. 

Square, 27, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 
43, 44, 47, 50, 63, 64, 74, 
77, 95, 116, 124, 140; law 
of the, 36-68, 38, 40, 51, 53, 
62, 69. 

St. Alban, 175. 

St. Andrews’ Cross, 58. 

St. Columba, monks of, 163. 

St. David, 145. 

St. Giles Cathedral, 34, 35. 

St. John, 146. 

St. Maelruain, 164. 

St. Mary’s Chapel, 182. 

St. Mungo, 145. 

St. Paul’s, 122. 


Stair, the sacred, 25. 

“Stein,” 161. 

Steinbrenner, 161. 
Stein-Metzen, 161-70, 167, 169, 

189, 243; Fraternity of, 

162; German Guilds and, 
166-70, 184; name and 

origin, 161-2; Strassburg, 
167; Steps, three, five, 
seven, 96. 

“Stone-cutters,” 161. 
Stonehenge, altars of, 102. 
Stone-mason, 20. 
Stone-masonry, 20. 

Strabo, 57. 

Svastika, the, 58, 59. 

Swalwell Lodge Penal Orders, 
203. 

Sword of Law, 92. 

Symbolism, development of, 

190, 191. 

Sympathy, power of, 128. 


Tabernacle by Moses, 142. 

Tamhlacht, Church at, 164. 

Tassels, of virtue, 90. 

Tau, 58; Cross, 241. 

Teachings of history and na¬ 
ture, 234-6. 

Templar origin, 136. 

Templars, secret association 
of, 136. 

Temple, 47, 48, 101-130, 243; 
distinguishing features, 113; 
Eternal, 103; His Great, 
31, 34, 40; house of, 112; 
Ideal, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 
69, 71-72, 104, 122, 123, 127, 
128, 199, building of, 119, 
need of, 116; Jerusalem, 
119, 124, 129; King Solo- 


254 


SPECULATIVE MASONRY 


mon’s, 104, 105, 114, 135, 
courts of, 106-112, 113; 

children of Israel, 107, 
features of, 113, gentiles, 
107, house of, 112-13, 
knighthood of, 136, priests 
of, 107, situation of, 105-6; 
meaning of word, 114; pil¬ 
lars of, 108. 

Temples of the Holy Ghost, 
137 . 

Tennyson, “Morte D’Arthur,” 

68 . 

Tertullian, 165. 

“The Great Learning,” 140. 

“The Mason Lodge,” 99. 

Theosophy, 138. 

Thierry, August, 151. 

Three Cares, the, 214. 

Trestleboard, 86, 89, 90, 94, 
237 - < 

Toleration, 53. 

Torgau Ordinances 1462, 167, 
168. 

Trade Guilds, 150. 

Trajan, 146. 

Triangle, equilateral, 124. 

Truth, 63, 73. 

Tyling, 214; cares of, 206. 


Tyre, fraternity in, 187. 
Universe, the plan of, 30. 

Van Hammer, 143. 

Variation, law of, 23, 80, 81. 
Virgins, vestal, 145. 

Vedas, the, 72. 

Venus, 22. 

Wardens, 151; duties, 168, 
169. 

Warrington, 137. 

Whithorn, church at, 165. 
Winding stair, 112. 

“Wolves,” 156. 

Women, in masonry, 207-8. 
Woodford, Rev. A. F. A., 133, 
172, 183, 187; theory, 187. 
“Word, the,” defined, 204; 
lost, 25. 

Wordsworth, 193. 

Wren, Sir Christopher, 136. 
Wurzburg, cathedral of, 168. 

York, community, 164. 

Young, words of, 32. 

Zeitbild, 185. 

Zion, 121, 141. 















/ 





































































